Night Removal Bell

About 800 cherry blossoms bloom at the site of the historic site Koriyama Castle. At night, the night cherry blossoms illuminated by the bonbori lights and the lit-up castle tower can be seen. The Koriyama Castle site has been designated as the "100 Japanese Sakura Places".

In ancient China, the 13th day of the 5th lunar month was called Bamboo Drunken Day, Bamboo Confusion Day, Dragon Day, Bamboo Birthday, and Bamboo Offering, and it was said that planting bamboo on this day would lead to good growth. In line with this, a memorial service is held to express gratitude for bamboo, which is essential to Japanese life and culture. On this day, a bamboo offering ceremony and a prayer for cancer prevention are conducted, and the famous bamboo sake of Daianji is served by the bamboo maidens. *On the day of the festival, there will be a temporary direct bus service from Kintetsu Nara and JR Nara Station to the temple entrance.

On the 17th, the festival day, sake barrels called "son (can + variant of 'son')" and "kan [hotogi]" decorated with the bamboo lily of Miwa Mountain are offered at the altar, and sacred sake is drawn from these barrels and presented to the deities. Additionally, the offerings are called special sacred food, covered with a lid woven from oak leaves in a traditional box, passing down an ancient tradition. Four shrine maidens holding sacred bamboo lilies perform a kagura dance. Image provided by: (C) Omiwa Shrine