About Rokusai Nenbutsu
Rokusai nenbutsu is a type of Buddhist ritual in which chanted prayers are accompanied by dancing and musical instruments. According to Eiei Nenbutsuko Kaikucho, a document from 1804 that chronicles the transmission of such traditions, the custom was practiced in the Wakasa region from at least the mid-seventeen century. Like many other cultural and religious ideas brought to the area, it was transmitted along the Wakasa Kaido road, a major trade route that connected Wakasa with Kyoto, then the capital of Japan. Rokusai nenbutsu rituals that have been passed down for generations are still practiced by several communities in the region.
Rokusai Nenbutsu in Nago
Rokusai nenbutsu is performed by community members of Obama’s Nago district each year on August 14th. After gathering in front of the public hall in the early hours of the morning, participants visit various locations throughout the district to chant and dance. Locations include the nearby cemetery, a sacred site called Mori no Shita, the neighborhood temple to which parishioners belong, and numerous private residences. The Nago district rokusai nenbutsu are divided into those performed by children and those performed by adults. There are also two different performing styles. In one, small gongs and drums are sounded while chanting prayers, without dancing. In the other, the drummers also dance to the prayers. It is said that Nago’s version of rokusai nenbutsu was first practiced in an attempt to quell an epidemic that was devastating the area.
