Japan Photo of the Week: Kasuga Taisha
Kasuga Taisha is a shrine on the edge of Nara Park and is famous for having a lot of stone and bronze lanterns. By a lot I mean in the thousands.
If you are in Nara, it would be a shame to miss this UNESCO World Heritage Site and in a few weeks there will be a great opportunity. The lanterns are only lit a few times a year (twice I think?) and one of those times is for Obon. The Lantern Festival of Kasuga Taisha takes place August 14th and 15th. As much as I liked it during the day, I can imagine Kasuga Taisha really amazing at night with all the lanterns lit! Anyone ever go at a time when the lanterns were lit?
For more photos and information check out the Japan Photo Guide or for some larger and higher quality photos take a peak at the gallery.
This photograph was taken by Evan Pike.
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More info on Obon plz?
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Oh, nice – any more detail on Obon plz?
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sorry I don’t have any more details, can anyone else that lives in Nara or Kansai fill us in anymore?
I don’t know Obon in Nara, but Obon is generally the period when spirits of ancestors return to this world from their world. In the beginning of Obon, people visit the grave of ancestors to take the ancestors’ spirits home, then they welcome the spirits home with food, flowers and some decorations. At the end of Obon, people visit the grave again to see the spirits returning to their world.
It is believed that eyesight of the spirits are poor but that they can see fire. Therefore fire plays an important role in Obon. When people visit graves, they carry lantern with a candle inside so that spirits can follow the light of the candle. Probably this is the reason that lanterns in Kasuga Taisha are lit during Obon. As long as the lanterns are lit, spirits can stay around the fire.
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I didn’t know. Thank you. BTW in Tokyo Obon comes in July. I don’t think my deceased father is confused about when to come because he was Tokyoite. But I am wondering why Obon comes in July in Tokyo. Do you have any idea?
Nice photo, Evan.
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I don’t know well about the date of Obon. It seems complicated. Until Meiji Restoration, Obon was around July 15 of the lunar calender which corresponds to around Augast 15 of the solar calender. When solar calender was introduced into Japan in the beginning of the Meiji Era, local government of Tokyo seems to have decided to do Obon on around July 15 of the solar calender. My birthplace in northern Kanto do Obon on around August 15 of the solar calender that roughly corresponds to July 15 of the lunar calender. I think that majority of places in Japan do it on around August 15 of the solar calender in these days.
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Wow, Thanks. m(_ _)m
So I guess the ancestors of Tokyo people have less traffic jam to this world.
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I love to see the shrines in Japan they are so beautiful. Bring peace to the eyes and the soul. Thank you for the photo.
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I’ve seen the lanterns, and don’t recommend it — you have to pay an antrance fee, wait in line, and are then herded through in groups like any other attraction.
More impressive is the nighttime opening of Todai-ji’s Daibutsu-den — August 15th, I think, and again on December 31 (double-check those dates…). The interior of the hall is lit and the window is open at night so that you can see the face of the the Great Buddha from the outside. You also get to enter the grounds through the normally closed front gate and are free to roam around as you like. And unlike normal World Heritage business days, no entrance fee is charged.
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Also quite impressive is Jizo O-bon, held in many places in Kansai on August 12 and 13. Best place in Nara is Gango-ji temple in Naramachi. Hundreds of Candles and oil lamps are placed in front of rows and rows of Jizo statues and Go-rin-to. Good food is also available, from local high-end restaurants that set up booths (i.e., no yakuza tako-yaki). Highly recommended….
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Correction: Jizo Bon is held at Gango-ji on August 23 and 24 ….
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