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Every year on August 7, Todaiji Temple in Nara holds Ominugui, the annual “Great Buddha Dusting Ceremony.” Before sunrise, about 120 monks and temple staff purify themselves in a ritual bath, dress in white robes and straw sandals, and gather inside the Great Buddha Hall. After chanting Buddhist sutras and performing a sacred ritual, they carefully clean the 15-meter-tall Great Buddha using long dusters and suspended platforms. More than simple maintenance, Ominugui is a symbolic act of respect and purification, preparing the Buddha for the Bon season, when ancestors are honored. Visitors can witness this rare ceremony and experience one of Japan’s most impressive living Buddhist traditions.