2. Anyone can join the event usually without appointment, paying the fee at the reception. But in case you exceptionally need to make a reservation in advance, you should check details of the upcoming event on Next TASOGARE.
3. After entering the venue, you will be at the terrace of the temple first. You can relax and enjoy there as you want, as long as you follow the common sense in Japan. At the terrace I recommend you to look up to the Tokyo Tower from the terrace and listen to the music from the main hall inside.
4. Next, take off your shoes at the door of the main hall and enter it. Then you can see Amida-Buddha, the main statue of the temple, at the center of the hall. It is a good chance to pray to Amida-Buddha with your hands clasped in Japanese manner. Inside the hall, sit on carpet and feel the atmosphere of Japanese traditional temple listening to the music or dozing off.
5. In a regular program of TASOGARE, two or three groups of musicians perform lives inside the main hall. Some of them come from overseas.In fact, it is a very rare opportunity even for Japanese to listen to the music in a temple.
6. Are you thirsty and hungry? Well, let's go to Bar at the terrace. In the bar you can order some drinks such as beer in summer, hot wine in winter, tea and so on. You can also enjoy some special dishes cooked by a real Buddhist monk.
7. No smoking in the temple except for the smoking area at the terrace. Even in the area you should ask your neighbors if they don't mind it.
8. When you want to go to the restroom, please ask us where it is. For your information, some Japanese believe a toilet in a temple is likely to be haunted by OBAKE, Japanese Ghost. Don't worry, it's just a rumor.
9. In the middle of the event, a Buddhist monk gives Dharma Talk to audience. Though It may be difficult for visitors from overseas to understand the preach in Japanese, you would feel the heart of the talk just hearing it. After the talk, please feel free to ask the monk to take a photo together. It must be a great memory for you in Japan.
10. At the end of TASOGARE, all people chant Buddhist sutra together for Amida-Buddha. Even though you can't read the sutra book (sorry, it is written in Chinese Character and Japanese), you would relax and feel the sense of meditation just listening to the chant. It is the time when monks, audience, musicians, all people become the headliners of this Twilight Festival.
11. Saying thank you to Amida-Buddha, you leave Komyoji. It may be still around 9 o'clock, too early to go to bed. Fortunately, Komyoji is located in Kamiyacho, where is very convenient to go to Roppongi or Ginza.