Saikoin 西光院

Local heritage temple, haunting dragon dance

Saikoin, a Shingon sect temple, has a well-manicured garden and the gate is always open. A good time to go is in late April and early May for the peony garden there. The garden has many statues that make for good photography. In most years, the temple holds the Shikoda Three Dragon dance ritual in mid August. Three dancers appear as dragons with lacquered masks and indigo outfits. Children accompany the dancers with flutes and drums. The dance ritual which originated over 400 years ago is a prefectural intangible cultural property. It appears to be canceled in 2021, but here's hoping it happens in 2022.