"Autumn Night Nara Trip 2024" to be held in November - Special night worship at 5 World Heritage shrines and temples
In Nara City, every Friday and Saturday in November 2024 and Sunday, November 3, 2024, the "Autumn Night Nara Trip 2024" will be held, where you can experience special nighttime worship at five shrines and temples registered as World Heritage Sites. (Photo: Motokoji Gokurakudo)
There are five shrines and temples that can be visited at night: Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji, Motokoji, Toshodaiji, and Yakushiji. The event is held only once a year, and worshippers can experience the World Heritage Site that is specially opened to the public in the silence of the night and the mysterious atmosphere.
At Kasuga Taisha Shrine, lanterns are lit, and at Motokoji Temple, the national treasure Gokurakudo and its precincts are lit up. In addition, you can enjoy a special visit to the Chukin Hall at Kofukuji Temple, the National Treasure Golden Hall at Toshodaiji Temple, and the Hakuho Shrine at Yakushiji Temple. During the period, each temple has different dates and times for special nighttime worship.
The admission fee for each temple and shrine is 500 yen ~ 1000 yen. As an access during the period, the "World Heritage Shrine and Temple Tour Bus (200 yen)" that goes around each temple from JR / Kintetsu "Nara Station" will run every Saturday every 20 minutes from 17:00 ~ 20:30.
In addition, during the period, the Nara City Tourism Association is planning to host special sightseeing experiences such as the "Nara Wakakusa Mountain Twilight Night Scenery Award Bus" and the "Kasuga Taisha Gohonden Special Worship and Fishing Lantern Offering Experience", and we are currently recruiting participants.
5 World Heritage Shrines and Temples Special Nighttime Worship
- Kasuga Grand Shrine "National Treasure Gohonden Nighttime Special Worship and Ten Thousand Lanterns Special Held": Saturday [Special Admission Fee 700 yen]
- Kofukuji Temple "Chukindo Night Special Worship": Fridays and Saturdays during the period [Admission fee: 500 yen for adults (including university students), etc.]
- Yuanxing Temple "National Treasure Gokurakudo (Main Hall) Nighttime Special Worship and Precinct Illumination and Others": Fridays and Saturdays during the period [Special admission fee 500 yen]
- Toshodai-ji Temple "National Treasure Kindo Nighttime Special Visit": November 2 (Sat) and 3 (Sun) [Admission fee 500 yen]
- Yakushi-ji Temple "Hakuho Shrine Autumn Night Special Visit": November 2 (Sat) and 3 (Sun, holiday) [Nighttime special admission fee 1,000 yen
