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Rokujidō Hall
Constructed in 1623, Rokujidō Hall is one of the oldest buildings on the Shitennōji Temple grounds. Its name, “six times hall,” comes from the services that are performed six times each day inside the hall. The building houses statues of Yakushi, the Buddha of medicine and healing, and of the Shitennō, or Four Heavenly Kings. Memorial services are often held in this building, which was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1954.
Although usually a somber site of prayer, Rokujidō becomes one of the most boisterous spots in Osaka every year on January 14. The Doya Doya Festival marks the end of the period of New Year prayers, and two teams of local high school boys wearing nothing but red or white loincloths crowd at the bottom of the stairs at the front of Rokujidō Hall, where they are doused with cold water. They rile up the onlookers with shouts of “doya, doya” and then rush in under the eaves of the hall to see which team can grab the most paper talismans dropped from the ceiling. This has been an ongoing practice for over 300 years.
Although usually a somber site of prayer, Rokujidō becomes one of the most boisterous spots in Osaka every year on January 14. The Doya Doya Festival marks the end of the period of New Year prayers, and two teams of local high school boys wearing nothing but red or white loincloths crowd at the bottom of the stairs at the front of Rokujidō Hall, where they are doused with cold water. They rile up the onlookers with shouts of “doya, doya” and then rush in under the eaves of the hall to see which team can grab the most paper talismans dropped from the ceiling. This has been an ongoing practice for over 300 years.