SomewhatAtlanticPacific

The gods take cash

The morning (New Year's Eve) Himself and I took a walk to our neighborhood temple, Myohoji. The vendors were getting ready for the New Year's crush at midnight when everyone goes to temple to pray for a good year. We'll go tomorrow as well-- I like the amazake (sweet fermented sake leys) that the vendors sell and the bonhomie ain't bad as well. It's not so much a religious thing and more ritual, but we tend to go to a temple or a shrine at New Years if we are in town. It just feels right.

Himself, A Good but Lapsed Catholic, prays at the temple as well-- it's practically a secular thing. The drill is simple. Purify yourself by washing your hands. Ring the gong (or if at a shrine, clap your hands three times), throw your money in the offering box (it always makes a satisfing clatter), then pray.

Yet, when we went to pray, I realized I didn't have any coins on me. Which put me in a panic. It just seemed wrong to ask for something from the gods without paying . At times, I think I'm more Japanese than I think. But Himself had coins in his pocket, so all was well.

posted by SomewhatAtlanticPacific @ 3:00 PM