The herald., 1896-03-29
RELIGION IN JAPAN

vltes the spirits of the lead to come
home with him. The delegate delivers
the oral message with profound re-
spect and formaiity, bowling low to the
ground before the ancestral tomb
stones. Then, he turns about and asks
the invisible spirit to get on his back,
secures him with both hands behind
and gravely walks homeward.
At home q bed of sand taken from
the seashore is piled in the yard and
fire IL built of wax stems. This is
called the reception fire." The spirits
are requested to Rlight carefully at
this high, home altar, 80 as not to
bruiee themselves.
In January each house has sacred
closet wherein are enshrined images,
ancestral tablets, charms and amulets.
Cakes, oranges, flowers ind incense are
offered here, and be ore it members of
the family commemorate the days OF
Il cir ancestors death. This elevated
place IS called the "Buddha's Shelf"
Besides the closet the tops of cabinets,
cupboards and similar furniture are
turned into repositories for shinto
relics and paper gods. These god
Shelves too, are carefully served with
offerings of salt fish and cake and are
lighted in the evening.
In the temple the birthday of the
great common teacher, Shaka (Guata-
MAJ, is observed. This anniversary
falls on April 9Th, and its observance
is simple and quiet. except for the dis
tribution of uDuyn. In the east, when
child is born, the midwife imme-s
diately plunges it into a tub
Of warm water. This water
10 called ubuyn, or first bath.
On April Sth in every temple bronze
basin is placed before the altar, and in
the center of the basin stands q bronze
image of the infant Shaka. This SYM
Dol relates to marvellous account OF
Shaka's rising upright in the bathtub
and telling his astonished parents
whence he came, pointing to heaven,
and what his mission on earth was.
His exact words ara recorded in the
Buddhist scriptures.
This bronze vessel is filled with de-
coction of certain dried herb whose
taste resembles licorice. The worship
er pours the liquid over the idol with
small dipper and then sips little of
it, mumbling some devotional words.
Children run to the temple early in the
morning, carrying bottles for the
"sweet" tea, or ubuyn. In the temple
kitchen the cook has boiled gallons
and gallons of it, and from the dawn
that functionary is prepared for the
hubbub of dispensing it to the throng.
AS the holiday comes in the same
seas on as does Easter, the floral decor
atoms of the temples are beautiful.
The image and the bronze roof above
the basin are artistically covered over
with quantity of native flower which
the botanists may classify under the
genus trifolium. These flowers color
the fields pink in the spring.
| 4 4
The festival of the sea gods shrine
takes place in the summer season and
the people go worshiping in the even
ing. Myriad lights twinkle in the air
and are reflected on the water; re-
freshment stands line the approaches
to the shrine, and their vociferous pro-
prietors assert their articles to be the
very best; crackers snap, scintillating
fireworks dart upwards, and drums
are beating necessarily. People jostle
one another in getting on and off the
steps Of the shrine; while along the
beach are seated a multitude cooling
the breeze. Children amuse them
selves by digging pits in the sand and
making ducks and brakes upon the
| WdtoI. LILO ~
through the offering of pennies, clap
of prescribed short prayers as hastily
as practicable, that they may have
more time on the beach.
&
August 18th is Bet aside as festival
in nearly all rural Japan in honor OF a
patron deity. Every one is up with the
dawn. Children with paper lanterns
held high on long bamboo sticks are
moving toward the shrine. Every store
is cleared of its merchandise and has
temporary home shrine erected, the
god being q scroll with the deity's
name written on it. Two esrthen bot
ties Of sake are invariably offered
When day is fully come the process
sion starts from the permanent abode
of the gods. A huge drum goes first,
then number Of men in red masks,
with peaked nosee, representing fabu-
lous servants of the gods; then two
| porta BILE shrines built like q sedan
chair, and the rear is br ught up by
yaguradaiko. This last is a large
framework of vanished wood and
carried by men. On the top OF
it large bass drum is placed,
with four boys around it. The boys
are dressed in fancy costumes, and
beat time for the songs Of the men be-
low. The men in procession are all
dressed in white and seem at first to
keep the presence of their gods in
mind; but they soon get drunk, being
treated with sake in every house, and
their garments become spattered 18th
mud. The beautiful shrines are rudely
assailed, so that at the end of the day
there 10 little left Of the figures. This
rude usage has become an established
custom, and the portable shrines are
built very strong.
A few days previous to this festival
boys prepare for 1t by constructing
jumonji. Two slender timbers are
tied together in the form of a cross;
one boy mounts it and his comrades
lift him up by applying their shoulders
to the four ends. Thus they march up
and down the street, singing songs and
challenging boys of other streets to
| come out and have rush"
| y p y
! It is customary for older boys to
scale some lofty mountain aud pay
tribute to the deity from the top OF it.
Preparation for the hazardous journey
is rigorous. They battle in cold water
for month previously, live on plain
diet and pass the time In prayers and
penances. Were their hearts and bod
| les to be unclean it is believed that on