Gokusui no En at Motsuji (Winding Stream Poetry Party)

About

On the fourth Sunday of May, the Pure Land garden of Motsuji Temple hosts a re-creation of an elegant poetry game from the Heian period. Poets in court dress, the men in formal robes and hunting garments, the women in layered kimono including the junihitoe, take their places beside the yarimizu, a winding stream that carries mountain water into the garden's pond. After an opening address and the announcement of the poem theme, a dance is offered to the accompaniment of ancient saibara songs. Then cups are set afloat on small carriers called usho and drift down the stream; each poet composes a waka on the theme, writes it on a slip of paper, and drinks from a cup as it floats by. The party ends with the poems being read aloud. The stream itself, with its pebbled bed, gentle curves and carefully placed stones, is one of the garden's most beautiful features.

Sources

• OfficialHiraizumi Tourism Association hiraizumi.or.jp
• OfficialIwate Prefecture Tourism Association (Iwate Tabi) iwatetabi.jp
• Reference毛越寺 www.motsuji.or.jp

Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.

Other events this month

• Spring Fujiwara Festival
• Esashi Jinku Festival