Hakurakuten Yama – Zen Teachings on Wheels in Kyoto

The float Hakurakuten Yama brings a moment of quiet depth to the buzz of the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. Centered on the scene of the Chinese Zen master Dōrin (also called Daolin) and the renowned Tang-dynasty poet Bai Juyi (known in Japan as Hakurakuten), this float takes symbolism and philosophy out of the temple and onto the city’s streets. 

In the story shown by the float: the poet asks, “What’s the essential meaning of Buddhist teaching?” The master replies simply: “Commit no evil, do good deeds!” The poet protests: “Even a three-year-old knows this!” To which the master replies: “A three-year-old may know it, but even eighty-year-olds can’t do it.” 

Hakurakuten Yama is a reminder that understanding and action are different things — and somewhere between them lies tradition. It’s a float that encourages reflection amidst the parade, blending ancient Chinese Zen wisdom with Kyoto’s living festival culture.

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