Yao is the birthplace of Kawachi Ondo traditional Bon dance music. Jokoji Temple carries on a tradition believed to be the original form of Kawachi Ondo, and which was selected for the former Ministry of the Environment's 100 Sounds of Japan. Members of a preservation society practice the unique Ondo tones on temple grounds, passing them down over the generations. The temple grounds fill with visitors who come to hear performances on August 23rd and 24th of every year.The temple was restored by Fujiwara Moritsugu in 1385.The temple's name was changed to Jokoji in 1390, upon reception of calligraphy bearing the name from Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. It was also the location of the Tokugawa forces' commander during the Natsu no Jin siege of Osaka in 1615. The officers were said to have identified severed heads inside, and the blood-stained floorboards were later moved to the roof in a customary fashion. The resulting chi-tenjo or "roof of blood" is still remembered to this day.