Light Festival in Shingu

Many years ago the people in a certain Shinto shrine became friends of mine.

Indeed the founder of this particular shrine offered me a place to stay when he heard that I was having difficulties in the place where I was living at that time.

He contacted me and offered me a place to live. This place used to be a hot-spring resort and there was a large area of land attached to it. There were also some cabins attached so it was very useful for people to come for retreats and talks. It was at that time that I first heard about the Light Festival in Shingu. And then one day I was invited by the people in this Shinto shrine to join them for this festival. I had no idea what was involved in taking part, but I was keen to find out.

So I went along to the shrine at about midday to find out what I would have to do. I was told beforehand that I should come fasting to the shrine. That didn’t bother me too much because I had often done a bit of fasting before. I knew that at some stage there was a holy mountain to be climbed. I knew it wasn’t a very high mountain so the thought of climbing it didn’t give me any problems either. But when I got to the shrine I became aware of some not-so-nice aspects of this festival. In order to participate properly one had to go through a purification rite. This meant disrobing and either standing under a waterfall or wading out into the sea. Now if it were the middle of summer that would not be a problem. Indeed it would be a delight because the summers here in Japan can be very hot and humid. But this festival takes place on the 6th of February and that is the middle of winter.

So this was the first item on the program. With the five or six other men who were going to climb the holy mountain we set off for the sea which is only a short distance from this shrine where we were gathered. On this day no women are allowed on the mountain. It is not clear what the reasons for this prohibition might be. It is quite a steep climb and there are 538 steps to be negotiated. And all of this has to be done in the dark. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me go back to the purification rite at the sea.

The six of us lined up facing towards the sea with only loincloths to cover our nakedness. We then waded into the sea until the water was up to our waists. And standing there with hands joined we chanted prayers while the waves buffeted and the cold winds wouldn’t let us forget that it was the middle of winter. It was a lovely feeling standing there shivering and reciting the "Our Father" out loud. The others were saying a different prayer of course but that didn’t matter. Now I am taller than any of the others and I felt that I was not getting as much pain as were the rest of the group because I was not as deep into the water as were they. So I decided to move out until the water was up to my waist. That is something I should not have done. When I moved out that distance I discovered that I was standing on shifting sands. I was somehow managing to cope with that when something happened for which I had not planned. I didn’t know until then that every now and then a series of three or four waves, bigger than the normal ones, comes along and with the first one I was turned upside down. I eventually managed to get back on my feet just in time to be swept out by the next big wave. I was suffering from a painful shoulder at that time so I couldn’t swim with any strength. I just could not get back to the shore. I would be almost there when another wave would take me out again. One of my fellows saw that I was in trouble and with a lot of effort and courage he managed to reach out and with one finger gave me the help that I needed to get my feet on the sand. I lay in the shallow water with the cold water washing over me and I marvelled at how beautiful a place it was. "Lord, it is good for me to be here!" is how I felt.

When we got back to the shrine which was our meeting place we changed into our white clothes. On this day the only colour that is allowed is white. This applies also to the food that we are allowed to have on that day. So the fare was white rice, white bean curd, and white radish pickles. Hunger is sweet sauce so I enjoyed that meal after coming back from the sea. We then had to get ready for the main part of the ceremony. This meant winding thick straw ropes round ourselves. I suspect that this is a form of protection in case one falls on those steep uneven steps. And then we had to write our petitions on the wooden torch that one carries up the mountain. Most people pray for "World Peace" or "Harmony in the home", or "Traffic Safety", or "Prosperity". I decided that the "Our Father" covered it all so I wrote a phrase or two from the Our Father on my torch. We first went to the main Shinto shrine in the town and from there we proceeded to the mountain. It was a short walk to the foot of the mountain. The actual climb is quite steep initially but gradually it becomes less demanding. More than two thousand men dressed in the religious garb make the climb. There is a long wait at the top until the new light is struck. And then some young men make a perilous race down the mountain to bring the new light to the Shinto shrine from which we set out. Sometimes accidents happen and some people suffer serious injury.

When the new light has been passed around to everyone and everyone’s torch is lighting it is quite a sight to see even if the smoke is a bit overpowering at times. While waiting at the top it can be quite cold, but it is also beautiful. Sometimes there is a full moon and the whole city of Shingu is spread out before us. The nearby sea is glistening in the moonlight. And one is surrounded by men dressed in the peculiar white religious garb. I cannot help wondering what is going on in the hearts of these people. I know the hardship involved in this ritual. I know too the hardship involved in just living and caring for a family in this society. Having lived for as long as I have in this country, and having taken part in this Shinto ritual as often as I have I would have difficulty in accepting what one sometimes hear about Japanese people, namely, that there is not a very strong sense of religion in this country. There is a bond with nature here that is at least as deep as any I have seen in any part of the world.