Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha
Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu SEPTEMBER 2021
The Autumn Thanksgiving Festival
is meant to remember the things
we have to be grateful for.
It's a special time to give thanks...
not just for the food we partake,but for the thousands of fortunate
moments, the multitude ofblessings that we receive everydayof our lives.
The 101st Autumn Thanksgiving

Festival commenced at 2:00 pm on
Sunday, September 5, officiatedby Rev. M asa Tak izaw a in thepresence of Directors and Officers.
President Dr . Sh in k en Nait ohbegan the festival with a momentof silence in memory of the victimsof COVID-19.
Our world now calls for kokua
among our leaders, scientists,

healthcare providers and all who
are instrumental in overcoming
this pandemic.
May our gratitude, prayers andsupport be with all of them.

DONATIONSDONATIONS
Taisai Sake - Beer
Choyo no Sekku Kiku________________

Bryson Goda
Mike Lee
Shinken & Marilyn Naitoh
Gary & Linda Shinsato

CALENDAR

Bill & Keiko Doughty
Bryson Goda
Miyoko Hanahara
Hanayagi Dancing Academy
Hawaii Foundation
Hawaii Senbukan
Neil & Yuki HoArthur K. Isa
Rodney & Sharon Isa
Alan Kajiyama
Milton & Kathy Kwock
Mike Lee
Steve Miwa
Shinken & Marilyn Naitoh
Jeanette Nakata
Craig & Diane Nishida
Akiko Sanai
Gary & Linda Shinsato
Robert Stallings
Gary & Waynette Taketa
Peggy Tsukida

OCTOBER17 - 31 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Shichigosan, Totose no Oiwai, Jusan Mairi
17

2:00 pm (INTERNAL)
Tsukinami-sai Monthly Service

NOVEM BER
1 - 21 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Shichigosan, Totose no Oiwai, Jusan Mairi
7

2:00 pm (INTERNAL)
Tsukinami-sai Monthly Service

The annual Choyo no Sekku
or Kiku Festival wasobserved on Sunday,September 5.

Sake laced with kiku
chrysanthemum petals areserved every September inhopes of a healthy and longlife. This year, a genus ofkiku called Magenta Beauty
was used.
Kiku was used as medicine
in Japan since ancient times
and the aristocrats of theHeian court enjoyed gazingat rare kiku flowers from
China while sipping kiku
sake and writing andreciting poems of good
health and longevity.

GOKITO - Private Blessings

Until further notice, Private Gokito
blessings will be available by reservationswith a maximum participation of 9 people
in the shrine. (Rev Takizawa is the 10th
person as allowed by C&C rules)
Social distancing is observed in the shrine,especially during private blessings.
We urge everyone visiting the shrine tocontinue to wear masks.
We also offer long distance Gokito
blessings via Zoom.

A long distance blessing was performed on
September 1, for a patient hospitalized at Queen's ICU
from COVID-19. Prayers of healing energies wereoffered so he may have a sense of ease even in themidst of distress - surrounded with love, strength andhope.

Baby blessing was performed for a baby boy
on August 29

The shrine has received several requests
for private blessings for those who havesuccumbed to COVID-19 that are
hospitalized or quarantined.
Please email the shrine at
kotohira@hawaiiantel.net for information
and reservations.

New car blessing was performed for a shrine friend onAugust 31

KOKI - 70 years of age
Koki originated from a famous Chinese poem "By
the Winding River " by Tu Fu which expresses howrare it was for people to live until 70.
It is also a time for a new focus in life to see thevalue, quality and meaning of our lives even in theface of illness or declining physical or cognitive
capacity. It also expresses how we should cherish
and embrace this new chapter in our lives.
KIJU - 77 years of age

Congratulations to a shrine friend on his
Koki birthday. May you continue thiswondrous journey of new experiences

The kanji character for Ki means happiness and iswritten using the characters for seven, ten, sevenor 77. Ju means longevity.
BEIJU - 88 years of age
Bei, the Kanji character for rice is written using
the characters for eight, ten, eight and is often
referred to as the "rice birthday." Ju means
longevity

TOSHI IWAI - Auspicious Years

SOTSUJU - 90 years of age

Since ancient times, the Japanese has celebrated
longevity at each milestone. Every birthday fromKanreki on ~ is considered an auspicious, happyoccasion.

Sotsuju is also known s the Graduation Birthday.

In Shinto, there are many passages of later life
rituals that support and guide people through thespiritual dimensions of those passages.

KANREKI - 61 years of age
Kanreki is observed at the completion of theChinese zodiac cycle and is a joyous occasion
which celebrates the beginning of a new cycle andevaluation of the meaning and purpose of one'slife.

During the Heian Period (794-1185), it was
unimaginable that a human being would live past
50 year old.
HAKUJU - 99 years of age
Hakuju or the White Birthday is a play on words.
100 minus 1 is 99 In Japanese kanji, if you takethe 1 or ichi away from the kanji character for100. the resulting kanji becomes the character forshiro or white
HYAKUJU or M OM OJU - 100 years of age
Hyaku is literally 100 in Japanese. The kanji
character can also be read as Momo and attaining
100 years is considered a significant milestone.

A Yakudoshi Blessing was performed to help andprotect one through the challenges

mAnniversary Memorial
Services were held on
September 1, for former
shrine officers and friends
who are enshrined at theshrine. The ceremony wasperformed for those who
passed during the Autumn
months.

3rd Year Bob Har ada
September 14, 2018
5th Year Kyok o Isa
September 22, 2016
1st Year Kell Kom at su bar a
October 30, 2020

In Japanese faithcommunities, thecommemoration of a loved
one doesn't stop the day
after the funeral. There isno time limit on grief andan Anniversary Memorial
Service is thought to help
one cope, renew and help

family and friends to moveon.
In recent years in Japan, thelack of burial space ischanging age-old funeralpractices of all faiths.
Grave slots are thought tobe a perpetual grave rightfor the owners.
However, in Japan,
perpetuity is being takenout of many grave rights as
typical operatingprocedures render acemetery unsustainable.
Most plots are now leased
for a maximum of 100years.

SHICHIGOSAN
It's that time of the year - reservations for Shichigosan, Totose no Oiwai and Jusan Mairi havebeen accepted from Sept em ber 1.
Please visit our website w w w.jin ja.u s/ sh ich igosan .h t m l for details as procedures have changed
since last year. The online reservation page is w w w.jin ja.u s/ on lin er eser vat ion s.ph p
We no longer accept reservations by phone, fax or Email.
A confirmation email or text will be sent to you within 24 hours of receipt of your online
reservation and donation.

Special Blessing includes:
Gokito Blessing, Omamori, Chitose ame, Goodie bag,Complimentary kimono rental and dressing

Donation $65

Our kimono dressing is a complimentary service provided by the shrine and its volunteers topreserve and perpetuate the Japanese kimono culture.
The selection of kimono for each child on the day and time of the appointment depends onthe day's available supply and proper fittings for the child's age, height and arm length.
Selections proper for each child are made by the volunteer staff at the time of appointment.

Department of health regulations have not changed since 2020. As such:- We are NOT able to offer hair, makeup or the use of kanzashi hair ornaments. Please style
your child's hair bef or e arriving for your reserved time
- All children are to be dressed in a thin V-neck or round neck T-shirt or tank top. No crewneck T-shirts. Please also wear shorts without any belts or bulky belt loops.

Jill Nishida, the shrine's 2012 scholarship
recipient graduated from UH at Hilo witha M.A. from UH Manoa and spent a year
at Daito Bunka University in Japan.
BOCHAM ean in g: Local slang that means "totake a bath"?
Or igin : Bocha is baby talk for the term
to bathe. It seems to have come fromthe Hiroshima area.
Bocha bocha and is the sound of watersplashing in the tub in standard
Japanese.
Various regional dialects for "Bath":
Fukushima - Appu or Obu
Yamagata - Ama ponpon
Aichi - Dandan or Tantan
Okayama - Bosha
Hiroshima - Boccha
Fukuoka - Bucchan
Kumamoto - Obu or Bubutan
Okinawa - Yufuru

She has taught ELL in the DOE system
and in Thailand and is now an instructorof English in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Dr. Alexandria Carlyle, the shrine's 2015
scholarship recipient graduated fromOregon State University and Oregon
Health & Science University. Dr. Ally andher husband Dr. Erik Quintana bothpractice dentistry in the Fort Worth,
Texas area.
Lukela Los Banos, the shrine's 2013
scholarship recipient now resides inMcKenna, WA where he is a full time Judocoach.
Lukela has also found his passion for
bodywork and spends his free time healing
his clients with deep tissue, trigger pointand Zen BodyTherapy.

September is the month of Shubun no Hi or
the Autumnal Equinox.

Hemisphere making the days shorter andthe nights longer.

This year on September 22, the sun willrise exactly in the east and set exactly inthe west, making day and night equal inlength.

Shubun no Hi was named as a national
holiday in 1948. Prior to 1948, theAutumnal Equinox was an imperial
ancestral festival called Shuki Koreisai.

From this day forward, the sun crosses
over the equator to the Southern

Many families visit graves and hold family
reunions in honor of their deceased.