Most regions would have the moon-waiting until the twenty-third night, but some had it until the twenty-sixth night, and people pursued pleasure until the moon rose (around two o'clock in the morning) on the excuse that three deities--Amida Buddha, Kannon Bodhisattva and Seishi Bodhisattva--would appear in the moonlight (from the Japanese dictionary "Kojien").
二十三夜待ちまでを行う地域が多くを占めたが、二十六夜待ちまで行う地域があり、月光に阿弥陀仏・観音菩薩・勢至菩薩の三尊が現れる（広辞苑より）、という口実を付けて月が昇る（大体、深夜二時ごろ）まで遊興にふけった。