New & Now
Special Exhibition: “Taimadera Neri Kuyo – Adornment of the Ceremony”
The “Taimadera Neri Kuyo,” a traditional event held every spring at Taimadera Temple in Katsuragi City, was designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in March 2024.
To commemorate this, the Katsuragi City Museum of History is holding its 25th special exhibition, titled “Taimadera Neri Kuyo – Adornment of the Ceremony.” The exhibition will explore the origins, development, and enduring traditions of the Neri Kuyo.
The Taimadera Neri Kuyo is one of the oldest Neri Kuyo ceremonies in Japan. In this special exhibition, we will explore the historical journey of the ceremony through the actual tools used, as well as precious sculptures and documents preserved over time. Additionally, with the cooperation of the Taimadera Bodhisattva Association—whose members help carry out the Taimadera Neri Kuyo—we have specially produced a video that allows visitors to experience the Neri Kuyo for themselves.
About the Special Exhibition
・Exhibition period: Saturday, September 28th to Sunday, December 8th
・Venue: Special Exhibition Room, 1st Floor, Katsuragi City Museum of History
・Opening hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Last admission at 4:30 PM)
・Closed: Every Tuesday, and the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays
・Admission fees: Adults: ¥200 (¥160) / High school and university students: ¥100 (¥80) / Elementary and junior high school students: ¥50 (¥40)
* Prices in parentheses are group rates for 20 or more people.
Main Exhibits
Bodhisattva Masks (Taimadera), Bodhisattva Attire, Newly Crafted Bodhisattva Masks, Possessions (Taimadera Gonen-in), Embroidered Seed Amitabha Triad Image (Taimadera Chunobo), Record Book of Taimadera Okuin and Its Branch Temples (Taimadera Okuin), Seated Statue of Master Shandao (Taimadera Nenbutsu-in), Illustration of Taima Neri Kuyo (Tanjo-ji Temple, Nara City), Standing Statue of Naked Amitabha Tathagata (Nara National Museum), and more.
Commemorative Lectures for the Special Exhibition
We will hold commemorative lectures as outlined below.
If you wish to participate, please be sure to register by the day before each event.
* Those without prior registration cannot participate on the day of the event.
Lecture Schedule
| 【Session 1】 | Date & time | Speakers |
| “The Origins and Background of Taimadera Neri Kuyo” “The People Who Support the Neri Kuyo” | Saturday, October 26th, from 2:00 PM | Natsuki Matsukawa (Curator, Katsuragi City Museum of History) Yoshie Ueda (Curator, Cultural Property Division, Kashiba City Board of Education) |
| 【Session 2】 | Date & time | Speakers |
| “Reconstruction and Renewal of Bodhisattva Attire for the Taimadera 25 Bodhisattvas’ Descent Ceremony” “The Taimadera Neri Kuyo Ceremony and the Bodhisattva Association” | Saturday, November 16th, from 2:00 PM | Fumio Akashi (Technical Advisor, Production Department, Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd.) Masataka Kuzumoto (Chief Priest, Taimadera Gonen-in) |
| 【Session 3】 | Date & time | Speaker |
| “Seeking Rebirth in the Pure Land: The World of Medieval Pure Land Buddhism” | Saturday, November 23rd, from 2:00 PM | Junichi Funata (Professor, Kinjo Gakuin University) |
| 【Session 4】 | Date & time | Speaker |
| “The Performance Styles of Neri Kuyo and Their Comparisons” “Paintings Depicting Neri Kuyo and Their Context” | Saturday, November 30th, from 2:00 PM | Masayuki Fukumochi (Chief Cultural Property Preservation Engineer, Cultural Property Preservation Division, Kyoto City) Natsuki Kitazawa (Director, Information Services Division, Curatorial Department, Nara National Museum) |
| 【Session 5】 | Date & time | Speaker |
| “The Tradition of Mukaeko: Reception Ceremonies Remembered in Folktales” | Saturday, December 7th, from 2:00 PM | Yasuro Abe (Visiting Professor, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University; Research Fellow, Ryukoku University Research Center for World Buddhist Cultures) |
・Registration contact: Katsuragi City Museum of History, Tel: 0745-64-1414
・Capacity: 200 participants
・Venue: Akane Hall (Katsuragi City Museum of History)
・Admission: Free
