How a Shinto Priest Cleansed My Soul...

I decided to leave my bike infront of Chozenji-Temple and continue on foot.

I headed down a road that should more rightfully be called a minor alley (it could not have been more than two meters wide). I wandered behind wooden houses, small vegetable patches, and laundry hung up to dry. The cement under my feet was cracked and broken, poored there long before you or I had ever been born.

I wandered down various side streets until I looked behind me and saw that downtown Kofu was now spread far below me. After stoping a moment for a quick snap-shot, I continued on, wandering past more houses. A small dog angrily barked at me as I passed (I may have been the first geijin his little eyes had ever seen).

Then I saw the enterance to a shinto shrine. My map said it was known as Atagojinja-shrine. Crossing under a shinto wooden enterance way, i assended up a some steep stone steps.

At the top I saw two young boys stoking a large bonfire just infront of the temple. Fascinated I came closer and noticed they were burning old fruit and paper and various other things. Perhaps, this was an act of purification, to bringing in the new year ("out with the old in with the new", so to speak).

Past the bonfire I noticed a large wooden stone that had a striking resemblence to the male sexual organ. It was covered by a wooden roof and seemed to be given a place of honor near the shrine enterance. (I can hear all the men reading this thinking - "finally my didgit gets the rightful respect it deserves! I always knew it was a God!" haha!)

Getting closer to the shrine I noticed several people leaving and putting on their shoes. There seemed to be an excited buzz in the air. Then I saw a Japanese lady dressed in formal kimono appear at the shrine enterance. She seemed to be welcoming me in. A bit nervous about what was happening, I proceeded to take off my shoes and enter the shrine.

I saw two priests dressed in colourful robes. There was an altar at one end of the room covered in delicious looking fruit. On the floor there was a group of red pillows facing the altar and to the left of them were rows of blue pillows. One of the priests motioned for me to place my name in a large black book and then kneel on a blue pillow to the side. A family of four proceeded to sit down in a row of red pillows that faced the ripe fruit.

Wow, I was going to get to be a part of a real shinto ceremony! One of the ladies in Kimono brought me a steaming cup of sake and I warmed my cold hands on it as I watched the family take part in the ceremony. One of the priests faced the alter of fruit and knelt down. He began chanting. All the family bowed as well.

Then the priest clapped twice and stood up.

He approached the family with a long stick that had white papers in strips hanging from one end. Silently he swept the papers around the bowed heads of the family. Next, the priest picked up, what appeared to be, sleigh bells on a wooden stick and proceeded to ring them around the families heads. After which a lady in kimono offered them each to drink sake from small china saucers.

Then the family got up and the priest presented the oldest son with a leafy branch. The son in the family proceeded to turn the stem of the plant to face the alter and placed it infront of the pile of fruit. Then all the family bowed twice, clapped twice, and bent their head with their hands pressed in a prayer position. The priest then gave them a white bag filled with gifts.

Then it was my turn.

After inquiring whether I could speak japanese (i replied "Chotto" - a little) The priest explained in a mixture of Japanese and English that I was taking part in an annual ceremony, known as the "soul cleansing" ceremony, that happened every January.

He then began the ceremony.

I tried my best to bow when I was ment to and stop bowing when I was ment to, but, slowly, I let-go and a felt my whole body relax and a warm, happy, glow come over me. I found that I was smiling and wasn't able to stop. By the end I had the greatest smile on my face and I said "arigato" over and over again. The priest presented me with a bag of gifts (which included , what apeared to be, a feathered arrow with no sharp tip, a small, decorated, wooden rake, and a bottle of sake). I humbly left the shrine and put on my shoes.

Outside, there was a large wooden box where you drop money in and bow. I was so greatful I droped in a good deal of change and then did the proper amount of clapping and bowing (bow 2x, clap 2x, and then pray 1x). I felt calm and giddy all at once, if that is possible.

A Japense lady, who was leaving the temple ,offered to take a picture of me with the welcoming lady in kimono. I smiled (okay, I admit, I hadn't stop smiling yet :) as she said "Cheesu". I felt like a new woman. Again I had one of those awe-inspiring moments when I realize "Wow, I'm in Japan, I can't believe it - but I love it".

So, the rest of the day, I wandered to various other temples in Kofu. But I remained in a bit of a happy daize. I couldn't shake my positive feeling.

Later I met up with a fellow JET - J.D. who was heading back in from Tokyo and we had some delicious food at an Izakaya (a cool japanese-style bar with lots of finger foods you share) and a great conversation. Finally I felt more at peace with being here in Japan. Being in Japan will not only be a great way to save money, make new friends, and have lots of fun.

It will also be a great spiritual experience.