Spring Grand Festival at Ichihatasan Yakushiji's Okazaki Hondo on May 3

Ichihatasan Yakushiji in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, will hold its Spring Grand Festival (Shunki Taisai) at the Okazaki Hondo on Sunday, May 3, 2026. The ceremony gathers each visitor's personal wish and presents it as a single collective "grand wish" (daigan) to the principal deity, Yakushi Nyorai. In addition to the main prayer ceremony, a tea-offering memorial service will be conducted, and free local vegetables and lucky rice cakes will be distributed.

Offering a Single "Grand Wish" in Spring

Ichihatasan Yakushiji holds multiple grand festivals throughout the year. At each festival, every visitor's personal prayer is united into one great collective wish and offered to Yakushi Nyorai. At this Spring Grand Festival, the gathered wishes of all attendees will be combined into a single "grand wish" and presented to the principal deity.

A Purifying Ceremony: The Ochayuyo Memorial Service

Held alongside the Spring Grand Festival, the Ochayuyo Memorial Service centers on sacred tea (o-chayu) said to purify the body and spirit, and to bring blessings for eye ailments and illness. During the ceremony, the sacred tea is placed as an offering in the main hall's inner sanctuary, then shared with all who attend.

Free Distribution of Local Vegetables and Lucky Rice Cakes

As part of the festival, visitors can receive free gifts:

• From 10:00 AM onward: Local vegetables (priority given to Grand Festival attendees)
• After the Grand Festival concludes: Lucky rice cakes (kaiun no omochi) offered at the festival

Each item will be distributed free of charge to the first 500 people, respectively.

This kind of community-facing initiative is characteristic of Ichihatasan Yakushiji, which places great importance on its ties to the local area. The festival is cherished not only as a religious ceremony but also as an open community event that welcomes a wide range of visitors.

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