murmurOtaimatsu Torch Ceremony at Seiryoji (Saga Shakado)
Kyoto City · Seiryoji Temple (Saga Shakado)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Seiryoji Temple (Saga Shakado) · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Sun, Mar 15, 2026 （Ended） Torch ceremony from around 20:00 (Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen performance from 15:30)
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid March
- How the date is set
- Every year on March 15 The torch ceremony starts around 8 p.m.
- Venue
- Seiryoji Temple (Saga Shakado)
- City
- Kyoto City, Kyoto
About
Seiryoji, better known as Saga Shakado, marks Nehan-e, the Buddhist observance of the Buddha's passing, every March 15. The highlight comes around 8 p.m., when three giant torches are set alight, a ceremony said to recreate the Buddha's cremation. Earlier in the evening, the temple stages a special performance of Saga Dainenbutsu Kyogen, one of Kyoto's three great Buddhist folk plays, which anyone can watch.
Sources
- OfficialSeiryoji Temple (Saga Shakado) seiryoji.or.jp
- OfficialKyoto City Tourism Association (Kyoto Travel Navi) ja.kyoto.travel
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.
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.