December in Nara is generally a quiet month. The key event is the Kasuga-taisha Shrine’s Onmatsuri with a series of activities livening up Nara city over a four-day period. At Hase-dera Temple in Sakurai city, you can see carefully tended winter peonies, and a number of temples have cleaning ceremonies in preparation for the new year. On the first weekend of December, Nara hosts Kansai’s largest outdoor pottery market and mid-month, Nara Prefecture’s most spectacular seasonal light-up event starts in Tenri City.
Kasuga-taisha Shrine Onmatsuri
From mid-month, or Dec 15 to 18, there are a series of public festivities centered around the Kasuga-taisha Shrine. The Onmatsuri, or On Festival, has an uninterrupted 900-year history. On Tuesday 17, there is a midnight procession of priests, samurai, and locals dressed in 12th century attire. Aim to be at the Prefectural Offices around 11 pm, and the procession will reach the Kasuga-taisha Shrine for a variety of events, including traditional dances and songs. This is a unique opportunity to experience the mystique of ancient ceremonies held at night.
Here are other highlights you can enjoy:
On Friday, Dec 15, from 13:00 the four Onmatsuri goddesses are paraded from JR station through the local shopping district to the Oyadosho Shrine in old-town Naramachi. From 14:30 to 16:30 there are purification ceremonies, leading up to the key events at 18:00.
On Saturday, Dec 16, at the Wakamiya Shrine, adjacent to the main Kasuga Shrine precinct, young boys will offer sacred staffs starting at 14:00.
On Sunday, Dec 17, you can view a horse race from Ichinotorii Madashi-no-Hashi Bridge to the Sakaki Tree in front of the Otabisho Shrine. At 14:30, in front of Madashi-no-Hash Bridge, young boys in costume will do some arrow shooting.
On the final day, Dec 18, you can catch some Sumo at Wakamiya Shrine from 13:00 and a Noh performance from 14:00.
Winter Peonies at Hase-dera Temple
Hase-dera Temple in the Sakurai district is a temple in the Nara countryside not to be missed. Aside from its impressive and unique architecture, it delights in all seasons with its hard-to-beat flower displays. You can view their winter peonies, protected by cute little straw hats, as you walk up the ‘dragon staircase’. The peonies start blooming around mid-month, and you can also see winter cherry blossoms. Until Dec 8, you can enter the main hall for 1000 yen and see the 11-meter-tall Kannon or Goddess of Mercy statue.
Date: Mid to end Dec
Fee: Entry 500 yen
Location: 731-1 Hase, Sakurai, Nara
Transport: From Yamato-Saidaiji take a train bound for Kashihara-jingu Mae and get off at Yagi. Change to the Osaka Line and your station is Hasedera.
Ominugui or Buddha Cleaning Ceremonies in Nara
Typically, before the new year, Japanese people engage in ‘o-souji’ or a ‘big clean-up’. Many temples have ominugui ceremonies or wiping the body of the Buddha statues. At Nara’s historic Yakushi-ji Temple, you can witness this activity at the end of the month. The nearby temple of Toshodai-ji has their ominugui on the 15th.
Date: 15 Dec Toshodaiji, 29 Dec Yakushiji
Fee: 1000 yen and 900 yen respectively
Transport: From Yamato-Sadaiji take the Kashihara Line two stops to Nishinokyo. Yakushiji is a short walk from there. You can follow the road signs and walk 12 minutes to Toshodai-ji. To get to Toshodai-ji Temple, take bus No. 78 from Stand 8 at Nara Kintetsu Station.
Ward off Evil With Boiled Daikon Radish Treats
Boiled white radish, or ‘daikon’, is a popular treat when the colder weather settles in. A number of temples in Nara serve boiled radish in a hot soup broth or with a sweet miso topping. This activity is believed to ward off evil spirits, bad luck, and illness during the dark and cold of winter. One such temple is Hozan-ji Temple in Ikoma City, not too far from Nara City. On the other end of the Shigi-Ikoma Mountain Range, you can enjoy the same activity at Shigisan Chogosonshi-ji Temple at the Senju-in Temple or the main headquarters.
For Hozan-ji in Ikoma, you will need to get there in the morning sometime and before the daikon runs out by 13:00. The Shigisan event is all day. Both these temples are free to enter.
If you go to Hozan-ji you can enjoy the cutest cable ride in Japan and explore trendy neighbourly shops and cafés along the staircase walkway. Shigisan, known as the ‘Tiger Temple’, is a large and fun complex to explore, and there may still be some autumn leaves too.
To get to Ikoma, hop on the Nara-Kintetsu train bound for Osaka-Namba, get off at Ikoma, and change to the cable car which takes you up to Hozan-ji Temple.
For Shigisan, take the Yamatoji Line from JR Nara Station to Oji, and then catch the bus up the mountain. Coming from Osaka, there’s cable connection from the Higashi-Osaka side.
Date: 1 Dec
Holy Remnants and Restored Eyesight at Tsubosaka-dera Temple
A periodic special event at Tsubosaka-dera Temple is the chance to dust down the main statue in the temple—a 1000-armed Goddess of Mercy. Paying visitors receive a small cloth with which you can dust off the beautiful wooden statue, get a close-up view, and take the cloth home as a souvenir or holy remnant. This event actually started on Oct 5 and runs through until Dec 8. Tsubosaka-dera has long been famous for its blessings to protect or improve eyesight. Until Dec 8, you can also pass in-between a pair of giant spectacles and hope for the best.
If you have time and plan for an early start, you can also visit nearby Oka-dera Temple, or ‘Dragonball Temple’, and enjoy what’s left of the autumn leaves.
Date: Until Dec 8
Place: Tsubosaka-dera Temple
Time: 08:30 to 16:30 last entry
Fee: 800 yen (admission fee) + 500 yen
Transport: From Yamato-Saidaiji take a train to Kashiharajingu-mae and change to the Yoshino Line. The first station is Okadera, then Asuka, and Tsubosakayama is the next stop. From the station, there is a bus that goes to Tsubosakayama-dera Temple. For Oka-dera Temple, it is best to take a bus from Kashiharajingu-mae station to Okadera-mae bus stop.
Kansai’s Largest Pottery Market Comes to Nara
Many regions of Japan are known for their unique and beautiful pottery. If you are a pottery fan, or looking for some top quality Japan gifts or souvenirs, don’t miss this Kansai pottery event when it comes to Nara. It will be held over the first weekend of December or from Nov 29 (Fri), Nov 30 (Sat) and Dec 1 (Sun). The location is Noborioji Park, just behind Kofuku-ji Temple.
Date: 29 Nov to 1 Dec
Time: 10:00 to 17:00 (16:00 Sun)
Place: Noborioji Park, Nara City
Fee: None
If you would like a more hands-on experience with Japanese pottery, you can try an Akahada Pottery Experience in Nara City. Known in Japanese as Akahada-yaki, it is a distinguished form of pottery that hails from Nara Prefecture with its history stretching back to the late 16th century. Akahada ware has a lineage deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Japan's tea ceremony traditions.
Best December Light Up in Nara
Nara City has its traditional light-up events during Obon, or at the height of summer, such as Nara Rurie or the Kasuga Mantoro. If you want to enjoy a modern winter or ‘Christmas’ light-up, then Tenri City is the place to be. Tenri is a key historic city in the Nara Prefecture countryside. There are many Things to do in Tenri, and you can finish off a day of sightseeing with their heart-warming illuminations around the station area.
Date: 15 Dec to 18 Jan
Time: 17:00 to 22:00
Location: Taisho Pond Park, Tenri City
Fee: Free entry
Music Events in Nara for December
Currently, Nara for Culture (Japanese) is a promotional program of musical arts festival running until the end of December 2024. Each month, you can choose from a range of delightful musical events. Here are some program events and other musical performances to enjoy in Nara this December:
Yamato Takada Symphony No. 9 Choir performs with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra on 8 Dec. at Yamato-Takada Sazanka Hall, 14:30 for 15:00 start. Tickets are 4000 yen, telephone reservations (0745-53-8200) or Lawson Tickets (L code 54324).
Naramachi Center free winter concerts on 14,15, and 24 Dec. Light classics and 24th is a Christmas bell ensemble.
Shinji Akita Jazz Piano, 22 Dec. Nara’s most famed jazz musician plays at the Naramachi Center Civic Hall. 3000 yen on reservation (0742-27-1151).
Mahoroba Flute Concert has a Christmas concert on 22 Dec in Oji Culture Center near the JR station. Entry 2000 yen, start is 14:00.
Joshua Breakstone and Phillip Strange perform at Nara Bluenote Jazz Bar on 29 Dec. Tickets 3000 yen, 16:00 to 19:00.
Things To Do In Nara
Author: NARA Visitor Center & Inn
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