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?

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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！！

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.