Hidden Wonders

Hidden Wonders | Paying Tribute to Time at a Clock Festival

New timepieces from Japanese clock makers were dedicated at Omi Shrine in Shiga Prefecture to celebrate time and the advancement of clocks.

Published

3 months ago

June 22, 2024

The Sankei Shimbun

A woman dedicates timepieces at the Omi Shrine at the Water Clock Festival on June 10 in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. (©Kyodo)

The Water Clock Festival was held at Omi Shrine in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture on June 10, a day known as "Time Memorial Day" in Japan. The shrine is dedicated to Emperor Tenji, who, according to The Nihon Shoki, oversaw the first telling of time by a water clock in 671 AD.

*The Water Clock Festival on the morning of June 10 in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. (©Kyodo)*

*A woman hands timepieces to the priest at Omi Shrine on June 10. (©Kyodo)*

Appreciating Time

During the festival, the priest reported the advancement of clocks to the shrine's deity and prayed for their further development. People in the timepiece industry and tourism ambassadors for Otsu also participated, dressed in traditional court costumes.

*Clocks as well as watches were dedicated at Omi Shrine. (©Kyodo)*

They dedicated new products from domestic timepiece makers to the shrine. Chief Priest Michihiro Amitani remarked, "We are sustained within the flow of many lives. I hope everyone reconsiders the importance of time and cherishes it."