murmurSaiendo Shuni-e and Tsuina-e Demon Chasing (Horyuji)
Ikaruga Town · Saiendo Hall, Horyuji Temple
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Horyuji Temple · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates not confirmed
- 2026
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early February
- How the date is set
- Every year, February 1 – February 3 The Tsuina-e demon chasing is on the last day
- Venue
- Saiendo Hall, Horyuji Temple
- City
- Ikaruga Town, Nara
About
In February, Horyuji Temple holds the Shuni-e at its Saiendo Hall, and on the last day it closes with the Tsuina-e, a demon-chasing rite. That finale is the part to see: a black, a blue and a red demon appear on the hall's stone platform, act out their moves and fling burning torches, until Bishamonten steps in and drives them off. The Shuni-e itself dates from 1261 and consists of the Yakushi repentance rite before the seated Medicine Buddha. Nicknamed the "Yakushi of the Peak," this Buddha has a long reputation for answering prayers, and worshippers have offered it armor, mirrors and combs for centuries.
Sources
- OfficialHoryuji Temple www.horyuji.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
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.