a spiritual journey

the island of shikoku, where i live, is famous in japan for having 88 temples on it. every year many people make a religious pilgrimage to see all 88 temples. some walk, others drive, and i have even seen a few on the train. some of my adult students have done it and said they did it for the exercise, the blessings, and to set a good example to their children. i think it would be an interesting experience. a few weeks ago i went to zentsuji with some friends from the branch. zentsuji is a temple not too far from where i live. its beautiful and very old. there is a tall tower and a few smaller buildings that are actually temples. its a beautiful place and was very peaceful. we even burned some candles which are to bless your family, i think. and we also burned incense which is supposed to give you good health.



under one of the temples, there is a dark tunnel. you go down the stairs and walk on the left side of the tunnel, using your left hand to feel along the wall. it is pitch black. you honestly cannot see a thing! while you walk, you are supposed to chant the name of a buddhist priest who was born at the site. halfway through the tunnel there is a small room where people kneel before an alter-like thingy...that's the actual name.... and pray or meditate. then you continue through the dark tunnel until you come out at the other end. it is symbolic of the darkness that sin brings to your life and that with repentance and purification, you can find the light again.


we found these little tourist things so we took a pic. this is what the pilgrims wear, the pointy hat with the white jacket. they all carry a walking stick, too.


at the temple they have a place for a special hand-washing. i am not sure what it means. i saw this at the osaka castle, as well. and now that i think of it, even at the small shrines all over the city, they have something like this. but i especially like this one because it looks just like mushu from mulan. too cute!

one final note. i forgot to mention this above. every winter in the courtyard beneath the tower, they have a ceremony where a bunch of men wearing nothing but loin cloths stand in a crowd and a priest climbs to the top of the tower. he carries a small tree or a branch or something and he throws it into the crowd. the men basically beat the snot out of each other trying to get the branch. the branch is supposed to bring the bearer happiness. hahahaha....well, the story brings me happiness anyway!