Matsuri BiyoriCalendar of Japan's UNESCO-listed festivals
Scene from Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu
Photo: Shinmaebashi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Furyu-odori
Calculated

Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu

Japanese name: 京都の六斎念仏（きょうとのろくさいねんぶつ）

Kyoto, Kyoto

2027

  • Mon, Aug 9

    Mibu Rokusai Nenbutsu (Mibudera)

  • Sat, Aug 14

    Senbon Rokusai Nenbutsu (Senbon Enmado)

  • Mon, Aug 16

    Saihoji Rokusai Nenbutsu

  • Wed, Aug 25

    Kisshoin Rokusai Nenbutsu (Kisshoin Tenmangu)

  • Tue, Aug 31

    Kuze Rokusai Nenbutsu (Zaodo Kofukuji)

Check with the organizers or local government
ABOUT

About the festival

Rokusai Nenbutsu is a performing art handed down at 15 locations in Kyoto, in which performers chant the nenbutsu and dance while beating gongs and drums. The name comes from the six days of abstinence each month in Buddhism, when people were expected to restrain themselves. Besides nenbutsu pieces, it has developed by taking in numbers drawn from Noh and kabuki as well as Gion festival music.

  • Pieces based on Noh plays such as Dojoji and Shakkyo

  • Old nenbutsu-style pieces played on gongs and drums

  • Two lineages: Kuya-do and Hoshinaji (Kofukuji)

PHOTOS

Photos

Scene from Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu
Photo: Shinmaebashi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scene from Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu
Photo: 山中 崇裕 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
DETAILS

Key facts

Category
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Furyu-odori dances
Location
Kyoto, Kyoto
Main venue
Temples and shrines in the city, such as Mibudera and Senbon Enmado
Getting there
Venues differ by temple or shrine; check the information from each preservation group or temple/shrine.

Sources

This description was written by Matsuri Biyori based on public information. Dates and details may change. Please check the organizers' latest information before you go. Translated from the Japanese original.

FAQ

FAQ

When is Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu held in 2027?
In 2027, it is scheduled for Mon, Aug 9 – Mon, Aug 16, Wed, Aug 25 – Tue, Aug 31 (Calculated from the usual rule).
Where is Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu held?
It is held in Kyoto, Kyoto. The main venue is Temples and shrines in the city, such as Mibudera and Senbon Enmado.
How are the dates of Kyoto no Rokusai Nenbutsu set?
Each of the 15 preservation groups makes its own offering at a temple or shrine, mostly in August (e.g., Mibudera on August 9, Senbon Enmado on August 14, Saihoji on August 16, Kisshoin Tenmangu on August 25, Zaodo Kofukuji in Kuze on August 31).