Omizutori

What to know

Omizutori (お水取り) is the popular name for Shunie, a series of annual events held from March 1 to 14 at Todaiji Temple. These repentance rituals have been performed every year for over 1,250 years, making them one of Japan's oldest recurring Buddhist observances.

The ceremonies take place at Nigatsudo Hall, a subtemple of Todaiji located on a hillside not far from the main hall. Nigatsudo means "second month hall," referring to the second month of the lunar calendar when Omizutori has traditionally been held. This period roughly corresponds to March in the solar calendar.

Among the many events during Omizutori, Otaimatsu is the most famous and spectacular. Just after sunset each night from March 1 to 14, giant torches measuring six to eight meters long are carried onto Nigatsudo's balcony and held over the crowd. The falling embers are believed to grant onlookers a safe and prosperous year.

The size of the torches and the duration of Otaimatsu vary by day. On most days, ten medium-sized torches are brought up and carried across the balcony one by one, with the entire event lasting about twenty minutes while the audience gathers in the courtyard below.

Otaimatsu Schedule Date | Start Time | Duration | # of Torches | Torch Size March 1-11 | 19:00 | 20 min | 10 | 6 m / 40 kg March 12 | 19:30 | 45 min | 11 | 8 m / 70 kg March 13 | 19:00 | 20 min | 10 | 6 m / 40 kg March 14 | 18:30 | 10 min | 10 | 6 m / 40 kg

On March 12 and 14, the procedure differs slightly as shown above. On the final day, March 14, the event lasts only about ten minutes, but all torches are brought to the balcony simultaneously, creating an especially dramatic spectacle.