 Image search results - "Oeshiki" |
On Oct. 12, the annual Oeshiki Festival (お会式) was held at Ikegami Honmonji temple. It commemorates the anniversary of Nichiren's death. He died here in 1282.
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Since most of Japan's big festivals are Shinto, it's nice to see a large-scale Buddhist festival.
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The festival's main event is an evening lantern parade (called Mando) of thousands of Nichiren believers from all over Japan. They come in groups according to their respective temple or district.
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At the end of each group is a flowery (cherry blossoms) lantern float (called mando). It's a lantern pagoda with flowery streamers.
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Following the firemen's standards are musicians. The drummers are the most prominent. They beat handheld, fan-shaped taiko drums (called uchiwa daiko). Amazing how loud these little flat drums can be.
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Marching priests.
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Each group is led by firemen's standards (matoi) which are poles with streamers. These were originally used by firemen's units in the Edo Period as their banner. Now used at festivals and for ceremonial purposes only.
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Path to the temple.
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Ikegami Honmonji taiko drummers.
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Everyone paraded to the temple and entered the temple for prayers, then dispersed. The lantern parade lasted from 6 pm till about 11 pm or so.
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Prayers in the main worship hall.
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Maybe about 300,000 spectators lined the streets from the train station to the temple.
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Interacting with the crowd. They love foreigners and babies in the crowd. They let them beat their drum.
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In front of the station.
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