Yakudoshi Ceremony

Feb

`Yaku` means `calamity` (a disaster) and `toshi` means year, so `yakudoshi` kind of means `bad luck age`.

For Japanese men it`s the ages 25, 42 and 61, and for women 19, 33 and 37.

Men who don`t usually join the Konomiya hadaka matsuri sometimes decide to join it when they reach these ages, in order to get rid of this `bad luck`.

Anyway, on Sunday I attended a special ceremony at my local shrine for people of `yakudoshi` age. About 70 people attended. It was an interesting ceremony - the priest read some mantras [shingon] , then some guys threw black beans around the room (one got stuck behind my ear. Fortunately the lady in front of me didn`t see it - she was excitedly picking them up & putting them in her pockets), then he read all our names. That took a while; I almost fell asleep...

Afterwards we received these gifts. I`m not a big fan of dried black beans, but I love Ichigo Daifuku (strawberries in soft ricecake) - yum!

Have you ever attended this kind of ceremony?

#ブログ

Commented by michiko
Posted at 2012-02-12 20:55

I've not attended such a ceremony. I've only prayed in a shrine, like Masumida shrine in Ichinomiya City, at New Year's visit to a shrine.
On the other hand, if you would eat your age's beans on Setsubun (3th February) after Bean-throwing ceremony, it would get rid of your `bad luck`.

Commented by Teragoya Otto
Posted at 2012-02-17 07:24

If I have to eat that many beans, maybe my stomach will GET bad luck, not get rid of it...

Commented by Atsuko
Posted at 2012-02-13 02:15

Are you a yakudoshi this year?
Now, I'm 3..... oh! :) 

I've never attended ceremony like this.
It seems feel sleepy...I think so too,
but not too bad, because you could get Ichigo Daifuku!
I also love it!
It's  a season of strawberry soon!

Commented by Teragoya Otto
Posted at 2012-02-17 07:28

Although I felt sleepy when the priest was reading all the names, it was still an interesting experience for me, especially because I`m a foreigner in Japan. I guess not many foreigners get the chance to take part in this ceremony. Lucky me!

Commented by S
Posted at 2012-02-15 19:35

Ooh, now your age isn't secret anymore........Anyway, I hope you got rid of the bad luck!

Commented by Teragoya Otto
Posted at 2012-02-17 07:30

Oh - you`re right! Now everybody knows I`m 25! hehe

Commented by hiromi
Posted at 2012-02-16 05:00

wow, are you 42yrs?
Hopely your 'yakudoshi' will be 躍年！！

Are you sure you want to remove the following comment?

wow, are you 42yrs? Hopely your 'yakudoshi' will be 躍年！！

Commented by Teragoya Otto
Posted at 2012-02-17 07:32

You don`t think I`m 25...?

Commented by Atsumi
Posted at 2012-02-16 17:54

Last year,I felt 'Yaku'.
So,I went  to shrine to exorcism.

I like Ichigo Daifuku,too.
And,I love Kurikinnton Daifuku!
Do you know it ?

Commented by Teragoya Otto
Posted at 2012-02-17 07:37

Could you get rid of your bad luck? I hope so!

I`ve tried kurikinton (sweet potato & chestnut, right?) a couple of times, but I don`t like it so much; I don`t like starchy [denpun, nori, suta-chi?] sweets so much.