Yako Nenbutsu 夜行念仏

Official explanation

Worshippers chant rhythmically, illuminated by the soft glow of stone lanterns as they make their way to the inner sanctuary of Yamadera during the yako nenbutsu nighttime pilgrimage. This sacred Buddhist ceremony begins on August 6, when participants gather in prayer in front of Yamadera’s main hall, the Konpon Chudo. As the sun sets the procession makes its way up the mountain, stopping at each temple building along the way to recite the nenbutsu, a prayer to the Celestial Buddha, Amida Nyorai. Once they reach the Okunoin, Yamadera’s inner sanctuary, they pray and stop to rest for the night.

The worshippers wake at 5 a.m. the next morning. The procession continues to the Kaisando, a hall dedicated to Yamadera’s founder, Ennin (794–864), and the Godaido, a cliffside hall where Buddhism’s Five Wisdom Kings are venerated. From there, they make their way back down the mountain.

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The yako nenbutsu ceremony is registered Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is closed to the public.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.