Feature Exhibition “Treasures of Tōdaiji’s Omizutori Ritual”　Chapter1“What is the Omizutori Ritual?”

The Shuni’e ritual at Tōdaiji is familiarly known as Omizutori, and it is welcomed each year as the mark of spring’s arrival. It is a repentance ritual (J. keka) performed before the Jūichimen Kannon (Skt. Ekādaśamukha) enshrined at Tōdaiji’s Nigatsudō. The two weeks of ritual combine rites seeking forgiveness for transgressions with prayers for good fortune and avoiding calamity.

This Feature Exhibition is held to coincide with the timing of the Omizutori ritual, from March 1st to March 14th. Sculpture, paintings, calligraphy, works of the applied arts, material culture, and archaeological artifacts associated with the ritual were first brought together for an exhibition in 1997. Having met with public acclaim ever since, the exhibition has itself become an annual tradition. With this exhibition, we hope to enrich your understanding of Omizutori, presenting its many significances and fascinations.

In this video, Dr. Nojiri Tadashi, Curator and Head of the Archives Department at the Nara National Museum, offers an accessible introduction to the Omizutori (Shuni’e) ritual with reference to some of the objects on display in the exhibition. The video is hosted by two university students. It features excerpts from a recording of the ritual produced by Tōdaiji Temple and NHK.

JAPAN CULTURAL EXPO
FY 2021 Japan Cultural Expo Project Presented and Co-presented by Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, and Japan Arts Council