Salubrious solstice stars and flames

Between the Tone and Edo Rivers in northern Chiba Prefecture, the frosty weather is right on time for 冬至 Touji, as the winter solstice is called in Japan. Genkidesu told us about appreciating the seasonality and yuzu bath tradition on this longest night of the year. Genkidesu also asked if residents do something special to mark the day.

This year, I finally got to attend a special 護摩 goma, a fire purification ritual on this solar holiday. I’ve attended this esoteric Buddhist practice many times. The most dramatic on a mountainside with Shugendo practitioners, and the most intimate with a family in their home temple. Priests receive offerings and prayers written on wooden sticks which are then burned in a ritual fire accompanied by mantra recitation.

At Kawagoe City, Naritasan Betsuin marks the winter solstice star festival, an astrological tradition, with a goma ritual. Anyone can attend. My friend and I were too late to make our offering specific to the ritual so we later got ofuda and omamori to mark the day.

Naritasan  giant vajra at Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin Hongyoin - interior photography is forbidden

We appreciated the steadfast priests who read hundreds of names of petitioners aloud. This takes a long time. The sutra and mantra readings were done by the priests, but towards the end of the ritual, all present were asked to recite the mantra of Fudomyo, the wisdom king of the temple.

Finally, one of the three priests gave a short talk about the significance of understanding your guiding star. He finished by telling us that the folk wisdom of eating foods with the character ん in the name isn’t a superstition but a mnemonic to help you remember to eat nutritious winter vegetables. Think carrots, daikon, and spinach called ninjin, daikon, and horenso in Japanese. 

Salubrious solstice to all!