I wasn't very familiar with it in Inawashiro, where I was born and raised, but previously, during a relative's funeral, my cousin talked about 'a beautiful custom' that resonates deeply with my heart now that I am older.
Before the Obon festival, when our ancestors return home, we go to welcome them in advance. Wouldn't it be nice if a loved one came to greet you on an unfamiliar road?
Located in the northeast of Aizuwakamatsu City, Hachiyouji is a historic temple also known as Aizu Koyasan. This temple, which has been established since the Muromachi period, hosts a ritual called Fuyukizawa Mairi, where souls are welcomed.
This time, we will guide you on a "journey of prayer and education for adults," reflecting on your loved ones and quietly facing your own heart.
[Historical Mystery] Why is Fuyukizawa considered the "gateway to the afterlife"?
Why is it believed that the ancestors from all over Aizu gather at this Hachiyouji (Fuyukizawa)?
The roots trace back over 1000 years to Kuuya Shonin, the founder of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, who spread the chant of "Namu Amida Butsu."
The "Land of Prayer" opened by Kuuya Shonin
During the Heian period, when there was no concept of common people's graves and corpses were simply left in the fields in Aizu, Kuuya Shonin came and carefully offered prayers for the abandoned remains, continuing to bury them in this Fuyukizawa area.
Eventually, a deep faith arose among the people that "our ancestors all rest in this Fuyukizawa, the boundary between this world and the next." Therefore, from August 1 to 7, before the Obon festival (August 13-16), the people of Aizu visit this place to welcome their ancestors.
(※ This custom of "Fuyukizawa Mairi" has been designated as an important intangible folk cultural asset of the country.)
The only place in the country! Offering of small graves, "Wooden Gorintou"
At Hachiyouji, there remains a very rare and precious form of offering that is not found in any other temple in the country.
This is the custom of placing the ashes, hair, or some belongings of the deceased inside a small wooden Gorintou and offering it.
The ultimate design, what is a "Gorintou"?
As mentioned in a previous article about architecture, the "Gorintou" is the ultimate design representing the five elements (earth, water, fire, wind, and void) that make up the universe, and it serves as proof that "the beloved deceased has become one with the universe (Buddha)."
In the Edo period, when common people could not build magnificent stone graves, this was a crystallization of love and prayer, wishing to at least deliver the souls of their beloved family members to the sacred place of Kuuya Shonin.
Currently, there are over 14,000 Gorintou stored in the temple grounds, and Hachiyouji also offers a "handmade Gorintou set" where you can carve and paint it yourself. The time spent carving wood with your own hands will surely become an exquisite grief care process (the process of healing sorrow) to converse with the deceased.
The miraculously inherited "Kuuya Nenbutsu Dance"
Another essential aspect of Hachiyouji is the "Kuuya Nenbutsu Dance," designated as an important intangible folk cultural asset of the prefecture, which is offered every year on August 5.
In fact, this dance had once ceased to exist in Aizu for a period.
The Great Kanto Earthquake and the Relay of Destiny
In the Taisho era, it was once again passed down to Hachiyouji by volunteers from the "Kuya Koushoukai" who visited from Tokyo. However, shortly after, in the 12th year of Taisho, the Kanto Earthquake caused devastating damage to the Tokyo group, and the transmission of the teachings was interrupted.
However, the "Kuya Kouryoukai" in Fuyukizawa, who had inherited the dance just before, miraculously preserved that tradition, which has been passed down for over a dozen generations to this day. The fateful relay of history gives me goosebumps.
A Masterpiece with a Thatched Roof: "Amida Hall" and a Moment of Serenity
The nationally designated important cultural property "Amida Hall", located in the center of the precinct, features a heavy thatched roof yet possesses a light and graceful curve reminiscent of flapping wings, making it a masterpiece of architecture from the Muromachi to Momoyama periods. There are records of a noble (Count Kunihide Higashifushimi) who visited here in the early Showa period praising it as "the most beautiful building during my trip to Aizu."
At "Tabinoito", we offer a tour in the Academic style where a guide gently explains the unique views on life and death in Aizu and the architectural beauty of Amida Hall.
"Because I want to see the happy face of that person I can picture in my mind"
With such warm feelings in our hearts, we head to Hachiyouji, enveloped by the deep history and nature of Aizu. Would you like to join us for a cleansing adult fieldwork experience?
[An Adult Fieldwork Journey Exploring Prayer and Culture]
A journey that comfortably explores the real breath of history, different from period dramas, in a dedicated vehicle.
A dedicated guide will introduce you to the stories of Aizu that are not found in textbooks.
First, feel free to consult us via LINE.
