10月30日、朝から百万遍知恩寺を訪れました。知恩寺では、今日から11月3日までの5日間にわたり、「秋の古本まつり ―古本供養と青空古本市―」が開催されています。境内にはおよそ20万冊もの古書が並ぶといわれ、初日の本日午前9時15分からは、全国でも唯一とされる古本供養が本堂で執り行われました。

9時ごろに到着すると、すでに出店している古書店の本が整然と並べられており、いつでも始められるかのような雰囲気。古本まつり自体は10時開始ですが、初日の今日は古本供養の後に開幕となります。

古本供養は、役目を終えた本に感謝を込めて供養する法要です。書店関係者をはじめ、古本を目当てに訪れた方々、そして地元の園児と思われる小さな子どもたちも一緒に参加していました。法要の後には、念珠繰り（ねんじゅくり）が行われます。

念珠繰りは、巨大な数珠を参加者全員で回すというもの。数珠をひざの上に乗せ、南無阿弥陀仏の念仏を唱えながら、左から右へとゆっくり回していきます。およそ10分ほどで念珠繰りが終わると、本堂の外で、古本まつりで使える200円分の金券をいただきました。これはありがたい！その金券を使って、私も2冊の古書を購入。読書の秋にぴったりの一日となりました。


“Autumn Used Book Festival” at Hyakumanben Chion-ji — Witnessing Japan’s Only Memorial Service for Old Books

On the morning of October 30, I visited Chion-ji Temple at Hyakumanben. From today through November 3, the temple is hosting the Autumn Used Book Festival — Memorial Service for Old Books and Open-Air Book Market. It’s said that around 200,000 secondhand books are displayed in the temple grounds, and at 9:15 a.m. on the opening day, Japan’s only memorial service for used books was held inside the main hall.

When I arrived around 9:00, the booksellers had already set up their stalls neatly, creating an atmosphere of quiet anticipation. The festival itself officially opens at 10:00, but on the first day, the event begins with the memorial service before the market starts.

The Book Memorial Service (Furuhon Kuyō) is a Buddhist ceremony to express gratitude to books that have fulfilled their purpose. Participants included local booksellers, book lovers, and even small children—likely from a nearby kindergarten—who joined in reverently. After the sutra chanting, a ritual called Nenju-kuri (large rosary turning) was performed.

In Nenju-kuri, participants sit in a circle and slowly pass around an enormous Buddhist rosary, resting it on their knees while chanting Namu Amida Butsu. The beads move from left to right in unison, creating a calm and meditative rhythm. About ten minutes later, when the ceremony concluded, attendees were given a 200-yen coupon to use at the book market. A delightful surprise!

Using the coupon, I purchased two vintage books—an ideal way to celebrate the season of reading in Kyoto. Surrounded by the scent of old paper and autumn air, it truly felt like a day to appreciate both books and the quiet spirituality that lingers within them.