Omizutori

Omizutori (お水取り), also known as Shunie (修二会), is one of Japan’s oldest and most revered Buddhist rituals, held annually from March 1 to 14 at Nigatsudo Hall, a sub-temple of Todaiji Temple. This sacred event has been conducted without interruption for over 1,250 years, dating back to 752 AD, and serves as a powerful rite of repentance and spiritual renewal.

The highlight of Omizutori is the nightly Otaimatsu ceremony, during which massive, blazing torches are carried along the temple’s wooden balcony, showering sparks down upon the crowds below—a symbol of purification and protection from misfortune. On the night of March 12, the most important ritual—the actual “drawing of sacred water” (omizu-tori)—is performed. This water is believed to bring blessings and good fortune for the year ahead.

Set on a hillside overlooking Nara, Nigatsudo Hall offers a serene yet dramatic backdrop for these ancient rituals. Visitors are drawn not only by the spectacle but also by the deeply spiritual atmosphere, as monks chant sutras and conduct prayers in a setting illuminated by fire and steeped in centuries of devotion. The event coincides with the second month of the lunar calendar—hence its name, Shunie, meaning “Second-Month Ceremony.”