Back from Japan

Actually it has been a couple of weeks. I sorted out my photos and edited from 2,500 to about 1,000. So I am still ways from posting here and on Facebook.

12 of us were in Japan to attend one of the services for the 750th Memorial of Shinran Shonin at Honzan, the short name for the temple that most people know as Nishi Hongwanji in Kyoto. It is rhe mother temple of the Buddhist Churches of America. It was the highlight of the trip and because it onky happens every 50 years, it was truly once on a lifetime.

On the other hand, I gave the group a tour of a few of the sites connected to Shinran. It wasn't that hard, as they were expecting visitors attending this service.

We had four mornings in Kyoto, so each morning at least four of us attended the daily morning services. Some of the days others in the group were able to join us. It was a bout a 15 minute walk from our hotel, New Miyako Hotel, near Kyoto Staion, to Honzan.

The first morning, we got there at 6 pm and already the Amida Hall was full. Because half of the service is in the Amida Hall and the second half is in the larger Goei Hall, we were able to sit in the Goei-do. (The Goei-do is set for the memorial services so their are chairs set up im the enlarged hall.

The traditional morning service begins with Sanbutsuge in the Amida-do, then the Sangha walks over to the Goei-do for Shoshinge and 6 of the wasan. then it ends there with a reading from one of Rennyo's letters and a sermon.

You must take your shoes off, so we used the bag that we got forthe 750th and carried ournshoes around. I knew at leastbto get chairs for the group. It is becoming more popular even among Japanese to sit on chairs instead of the tatami.

The voices in chanting is so strong. All four mornings were similar, except for the six verses of wasana, which are rotated. On the second morning, it was slightly different as it is traditional for the Go-Monshu performs this service, with the toraiban, on the 15th of each month. Honzan provides books for the services, but you have to be able to read the hiragana over the kanji for Sanbutsuge. And thr katakana over the kanji for Shoshinge. I am not sure why it is done this way.

In gassho,