• Home
  • About Elizabeth
  • About Pen and Sword
  • ELT in Japan

文武両道 Pen and Sword

Teaching English and Learning Budo in Japan

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« The power of nature in a human body
The dojo at the end of the world »

高尾山 火渡りまつり Mt. Takao Fire Walk Ceremony

March 12, 2008 by erizabesuesu

Hiwatari at Takao-sanThe view from Takao, the highest spot within Tokyo, takes in a magnificent forest stretching away across the mountain ridges to the north and the south and the towers of Shinjuku. I really feel like I’m flying above the city when I’m up there.

Kotengu at YakuoinAt one of the taikais, a yamabushi’s costume was displayed in the tea room of the Tokyo Budokan. At Takao, yamabushi, practioners of  修験道, shugendo, have been doing ascetic rites for over 1000 years. Enshrined in Yakuoin Temple at the top of Takao is Izuna Gongen, a fierce-looking, beaked man wearing the shugensha’s costume and bearing a sword. His cult originated at Togakushi.

So many expressions of Japanese religiousity and esoteric practices are deeply syncretic; the mountain asceticism combines old Shinto practice, Shingon Buddhism, and Taoism. At Yakuoin Temple, if you have the time to take in the tapestry of symbolism and sacred words decorating the statuary, temple buildings and the mountain itself, there are so many messages from these traditions.

In the Shinto vein, the Shugendo practioners honor the natural cycle, and in the Buddhist practice of letting go of things that hinder you on the path, they mark the early spring with a ritual to burn away attachments and evil in the form of 火渡り, fire walking.

The ritual, attended by thousands of people, priests, monks and nuns, weekend shugensha in white ritual  garb, young people, old ladies, lasted a few hours. The chanting of the Heart Sutra (I like Alan Ginsberg’s translation of the Japanese version) and various mantra, including the Fudomyo mantra, continued as the fire burned, and the monks crossed on the glowing embers barefoot, followed by the throng. When we took our turn, the monks and nuns were chanting as fervently as at the beginning, and the ashes were still warm. Guided and protected by the monks, we stood in salt before and after the crossing, and then knelt to be invested with fire from the head priest.

So many symbols and meanings came to me as we were participating. Salt is used to ritually purify in many cultures, but especially in Japan, it’s used to negate bad luck that might follow after a death or funeral, and little piles of salt are placed at the doors of businesses and houses to keep evil out. To my mind, we died a bit there, crossing the fire. I think some of the baggage got sloughed off. I feel lighter now. And I felt really cared for by the monks. They are present for each person as they emerge from that Fudo-fire.

I’ve been looking for an explanation of the meaning of the Fudomyo mantra, “Noomakusaa mandabaa zaradansen damaka roshada sowataya untara takanman,” for some time, but as yet have not found an English translation of the orginal Sanskrit. So for now, I’m satisfied to chant it and as I do so, think about all that Fudomyo embodies.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in black pyjamas, change, Japanophilia, Shugendo, Tokyo |

  • “Human beings like to be comfortable and do what they know. Practice the things which you don’t know how to do.”

    小栗先生 Oguri Sensei
  • Pages

    • About Elizabeth
    • About Pen and Sword
    • ELT in Japan
  • Recent Comments

    V on Two months post-disaster
    erizabesuesu on Going beyond your safe zo…
    v on Going beyond your safe zo…
    V on Effects of the disaster, how t…
    erizabesuesu on Watching from afar
  • art black pyjamas blogging budo Bujinkan events change communications Culture education Embukai film Japanophilia Kashiwa languages Literature music peeps Philosophy Shugendo taxes The 'Net Tokyo Uncategorized Vancouver
  • Buyu in Canada

    • Amebushi Dojo Vancouver
    • Bujinkan Montreal
    • Chronicles of Anton
    • Namiyama Dojo
    • Taka Seigi Dojo Vancouver
  • Buyu in Japan

    • Gray Dojo
    • Henka
    • Hombu & Ayase Schedule
    • Kutaki no Mura
    • Magick & Mundane
  • Buyu in the US

    • Kukan
    • Wako Dojo Salinas
  • Buyu in UK

    • Bujinkan Kouryuu Dojo (Harlow)
    • Hammersmith Dojo
  • education

    • Association of Canadian English Teachers in Japan
    • Autono Blogger
    • Japan Association of Language Teachers
  • Japanese Culture

    • Furoshiki
    • News on Japan
    • NHK World
    • Pink Tentacle
  • Travel in Japan

    • Chibaraki Life
    • Infomap Japan
    • Japan National Tourism Organization
  • March 2008
    M T W T F S S
     12
    3456789
    10111213141516
    17181920212223
    24252627282930
    31  
    « Feb   Apr »

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • 文武両道 Pen and Sword
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • 文武両道 Pen and Sword
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: