The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-19
FIRE WALKING In JAPAN
A WONDERFUL RITE WHICH Is BY
SOME REGARDED AS A MIRACLE.
An Amazing Performance Witnessed
by I~ncreduIous Foreigners. Who
Are Unable To Explain.
New York Tribune
EOS Stevenson Building.

AT a little SnlntO Shrine In the heart or
Toxic a wonderful rite. looked upon as O
miracle by the Shintoists, has been per-
formed every spring and fail for many
years. Until recently the occurrence was
known only to the Japanese. but in the last
year or two it has reached the ears of all
Increasingly large number of foreigners,
who. mostly incredulous. have obtained per-
mission TO attend. and at the last perform
ance of the rite. on April 8. 1900. there were
present about fifty of them, who departed
mystified.
The ceremony is called "Hi-Wattarai"-
fire w~alking-and that is what actually
takes place. For days. perhaps weeks, be-
forehand. the priests connected with the
temple. devote themselves to fasting and
prayer. The performance is always APP
pointed to take place between 5 and S
o'clock in the afternoon in the small temple
court. but at ? o'clock begins the final out
hurst of prayer before the unveiled altar
in the inner sanctuary of the little matted
temple. From . till 5 o'clock the prayers
continued. led by the chief priest. AT 5
O'Clock the priests filed from before the
altar into some interior apartments of the
temple, where they were TO change their
beautiful robes for the dress worn during
the fire walking.
THE FIRE.
In the meantime coolies had been set to
work in the courtyard TO ignite the great
bed of charcoal which had already been
laid. The dimensions of this bed were about
twelve feet by four, and, perhaps, a foot
deep. On the top was a quantity of straw
and kindling wood. which was lighted and
soon burst into a roaring blaze. The char
coal became more and more thoroughly ig-
ntfa6 The man not only famed tho flames
but turned the Goals over and over by run
ming long poles underneath and bringing
them 10 the surface. And now two of the
priests came out, said a prayer or two at a
tiny shrine in a corner of the Enclosure,
and turned their attention TO the prepara-
ton of the fire. Taking long fans and poles
from the coolies. they poked and encour-
aged the blaze till IL could plainly be seen
that the coal was ignited throughout. The
whole bed was a glowing mass and the
heat which arose from IL was so intense
that IL was uncomfortable to sit fifteen
feet away without holding a fan before
ones face. Then they began TO pound it
down more sOlidly along the middle, using
the poles like fails. As far as possible in
eaualities over the middle were beaten
down. and Goals which protruded were
brushed aside.
The other priests who were to take part
appeared. after having prayed once more
for a short time within the temple. One of
them held a pile of white powder on a
small wooden stand. This was said to
be salt. but. as far as could be ascertained
- "a ~ q Al AhlA-
ture of alum and salt. He stood at one
end and poised the wooden tray above his
head. then sprinkled a handful of il ON
the ground before the bed OF Goals. At
the same time another priest who stood
by him struck sparks from flint and steel
which he held in his hands. This same
process was repeated by both the priests
at the other end, at the two sides and at
the corners.
PRELIMINARY CEREMONY.
Ten minutes. perhaps. were spent in
various me nents and lamentations about
the bed OF Goals. AT the end of that time
two small pieces of wet mating were
brought out and placed at either end, and
a quantity OF the white mixture was placed
upon them. One OF the priests stood upon
this. wiped his feet we'll in IL, and walked
over. his bare feet coming in contact with
the glowing Goals at every step. He dIa
not hurry, nor take long steps. he walked
around TO the other end. and passed over
again. This time he ran the last two or
three feet OF the way, as If the Goals hurt
him. After passing over he rubbed his
feet again in the powder which was at
the other end. Though this priest walked
across again and again after that, he did
not again show any signs OF undue haste.
The leading priest went next His move
He took short steps. his hands were clasped
In front. and he seemed lost in contempla-
ton, as he might on an ordinary garden
walk. During the numerous times that he
traversed the bed from one end 10 the
other. ne acted with the same elaboration
and dignity. The young priest who fol-
lowed him had been theatrical from the
first. lie swung his hands back aud forth.
in one OF which he held an open ian, and
he iIfted each foot nigh up at every step.
For FIVE or ten minutes the priests passed
over the Goals Those who We're not 50 en-
gagged kept up the prayers. In the mean
time tickets had been sold TO the crowd for
three sen "a cent and a half. which would
permit the bearer TO pass over the glowing
bed In the same way. The first TO go across
was a woman carrying a baby on her back.
she afterWard crossed again several times.
After her came some forty or fifty people.
men. women and children. walking fearless
ly across, one closely following the other,
some. like the mother with her baby, re-
turning 10 go across again. and appearing
hurried at the end, but this seemed rather
because they had stepped upon a sharp
coal than because they had received a
burn. While the salt and alum at either
END had been renewed from time 10 time.
there were many who walked across when
II was practically exhausted, and they
could have come In contact with very little
of II. As each one started on the fiery pill
grifnage the priest with the flint and steel
struck sparks about the persons head.
while the other priests die not cease from
their prayers. the waving or the fans and
the "gohei." AS dusk began 10 fall. the
scene became more and more impressive.
The Goals giowed out By contrast. and the