5th Visit to the Temple and All I Got Was This

My 2017 Fortune

This morning, I walked the back road to my office and, swung by the temple, again.

Food tents, were all zipped up; that was a good indicator, nobody would be at the shrine.

So, I walked down the lane, to check things out. Only a few people were there.

Acting like I knew what I was doing, I went over and washed my hands.

A family of four, was on the temple steps, showing children, what to do.

When, they got done praying and tossing coins, they stopped at the bottom of the steps.

Knowing, they would be reading their fortunes, I walked away from the scene for awhile.

It must have been, 10 minutes or longer, before they got done. I'm patient, sometimes.

Once, they departed the scene, I was the only one there and, did my thing.

Bow, climb the stairs, kneel in front of the altar and, all that stuff.

Then, I actually put my hands together, pointed towards the sky and, squinted my eyes.

It's sorta dark inside the place and, I wanted to see if, anyone was watching me.

Then, I said, "Whatever god is around here, make 2017 a year of world peace. OK?"

The sign, on the donation box says "20 Yen" but, I tossed in 50, cuz, that's the way I am.

Opening the Written Oracle

That would be "Fortune" if, you were wondering what an "Oracle" might mean.

The ritual is normally performed on the grounds of the temple. I do things differently.

If, you get a bad fortune, it gets left behind, tied to a tree or anywhere at the temple.

Knowing, I never have bad fortunes, I took mine to work and, opened it there.

That way, I'd have a camera handy, to shoot the thing and, show everyone.

The Japanese version, I posted over on Facebook, for folks to see.

Does Anyone Believe This Stuff ?

Anyhow, they say my fortune, this year is excellent. And, I got some free advice.

All I have to do is, be strong willed, modest, faithful and patient.

Everything else seemed alright, until, I read the last few lines.

See, I really ain't planning on getting pregnant or doing anymore marriage proposals !

Okinawan Folktale: A Red and a Blue Ball

Bad Fortune

 

 

 

A child was singled out from among his friends and, patted on the head. 

The Yuta (shaman) who had approached him said, something bad was going to happen.

Without explaining, he walked away, leaving the boy frightened.

The child ran home and told his father, what had happened.

Papa, got directions and went to see the Yuta.

The Yuta explained, the boy would soon die, even though he was only 8 years old.

The father, begged the shaman, to help him change the boy's fate.

There was no one, on earth, who could change the child's future.  Maybe, the gods could.

The Gods of the Southern Cross and North Star visited once a year.

They would get together at a secret location in the central mountains.

On the first day of the New Year, they would play a game of Japanese Chess, called Go.

If a human were to prepare them a feast, they may listen to a person's requests.

The Yuta explained what to prepare and gave directions to the secret grove.

New Year's Day

 

 

 

 

The father cooked plenty of grains, vegetables, meats, fish and, made a large pot of tea.

When he reached the location in the mountains, the gods were already playing.

Staring intently at the board game, they didn't notice the human approach.

He placed the food and drink near them and, remained silent.

Before long, they started consuming the feast but, never took their eyes off the game.

A game of Go would last for hours and hours.

When the game ended, the father decided to speak on behalf of his child.

He asked the gods, if his child would be able to live a full lifetime.

Southern Cross God was sympathetic towards the father.

But, the North Star God became angry and grumbled aloud.

"Lifespan is determined by me, on the day of birth.  Nobody can change it."

Then, the gods started another game of Go.

While they played, the father continued filling their plates and pouring green tea. 

Patience and Persistance

For hours, they steadily eyed the game board while, ignoring the man.

Eventually, the Southern Cross God spoke to the North Star God.

"This human prepared a feast and traveled a long way to serve us.

It is the beginning of a new year.  Let's see what we can do for him in return for his kindness."

Southern Star God said a decision would come later and, gave the father two balls.

He was instructed to give the blue ball to his son and, the red one to the Yuta.

Time Goes By

 

 

The boy kept his gift from the gods for the rest of his life.

He grew up to be handsome, healthy, wealthy, popular and, lived to be 88 years old.

The red ball, given to the Yuta, was placed in a special, wooden box.

It contained all of his shamanistic materials.

It turns out, the ball was an agent for spontaneous combustion.

All the tools of the Yuta's trade became a heap of black ashes and, he was ruined.

The meeting place of the Southern Star God and North Star God has never been found again.

The age of 88 is called Tokachi, in Okinawa.

This is considered the beginning of old age and, is an occasion celebrated by friends and family.

Reference:

Folktales of Okinawa ISBN4-947654-05-8 P.97

Condensed from: The Red and Blue Balls 

MORE OKINAWA FOLKLORE

An Excellent Fortune at the Kin Temple Today

 

Kin Kannon Temple JAN 4, 2014

 

This afternoon the skies were looking good over my neighborhood.

With one camera, a tripod and wide angle lens, I decided to go shooting.

The temple wasn't overly busy so, after a few clicks of the shutter, up the stairs, I went.

 

All Shrines Don't Have the Same Rituals

 

 

The good thing about being a cameraman is you get time to stand back and observe.

There are different sects of Buddhism and sometimes you may be at a Shinto shrine.

With as many places as I go, things can get confusing.

Now, I don't want to make a fool of myself at somebody's house of worship.

So, I get myself a refresher course before I go up there.

Watch and See What the Old People Do

 

 

That's what I do.  Next, I just pretend I am one of them.

At the top of the stairs, I bowed and looked like I was praying and tossed a coin.

Then, reached in a box and pulled out my fortune.

This One's a Keeper

 

 

So, I didn't tie it to the fence or, a tree.

It's right here, in my office and, I'll quote some of it to you:

"Given time, the cherryblossoms on the hillside, which seemed to have been withered, begin to

bloom and smell sweet."

"Your Fortune:  Excellent

In the beginning your fortune is not good like a cold winter, but later it is getting better and better like spring comes."

It goes on about advising me on certain areas of my life.

GOOD STUFF:

Wishes: Will be fulfilled later

Expected Visitor: He or she is sure to come, even if late

Business:  Take your time

Study:  All right.  Continue studying

Game and match:  Depend on your partner or team mates

Illness:  Don't worry.  Be faithful

Love:  Be faithful to your lover

BAD STUFF

Missing Thing:  It will fall into other hands

Travel:  Little profit.  Something bad may happen on your way home

Speculation: The market is fluctuating now.  It's time to wait

CRAZY STUFF

Childbirth:  Keep regular hours

Marriage proposal:  At first it seems not to go well, but later it will be settled

END OF QUOTES

Now, I'm pretty satisfied with the fortune I threw my coin in there for and, I

usually don't go around poking fun at any governments or religions.

But, I just have to say something about that Crazy Stuff.

Maybe some sensors, in those steps, need to be adjusted, for the fortune telling.

For sure, I thought, I did everything according to the book.

Darned if I can figure out what went wrong.

Do you think, I waddled up the stairs like some kind of pregnant, unwed mother ?



How to Get Rid of a Bad Fortune in Japan (Photo)

The week of the New Year almost everybody visits a shrine or, temple.

And part of the ritual involves getting a slip of paper with your fortune written on it.

You should have seen the look on this gal's face, after she read hers.

I asked her if it was a bad one and, my suspicions were confirmed.

So, I told her "Get rid of it."

She went over there and tied it with the rest of them.

She's a smart girl and, even signed a model release for me when I asked her.

Lots of People Ain't That Smart You Know

 

Traditionally, only bad fortunes were left behind like that.

But, nowadays it seems like everybody ties their fortune up and leaves it behind.

As a stranger, in that town, I got wondering.

Did everybody get bad luck, predicted for the New Year ?

It seems to me, the people who had good fortunes just started copying from those with bad ones.

Now, everybody is leaving their fortunes behind.

Maybe, that's what's wrong with the world today. Just take a look around.

Young people are drinking water out of plastic bottles.

They walk around talking and texting on little handheld telephones.

And, they see someone tie their fortune to a fence or a tree so, they do the same thing.

Think for Yourself

 

If you get a good fortune, take it home with you.

If a bad fortune comes your way, Get Rid of It !

Shortly after she got rid of the bad fortune, it started to rain and we got the heck out of there.

Didn't I tell you she was a smart girl ?

 



A New Year Tradition in Japan: The Fortune (Photo)

This young lady is tying some paper to a tree.

The photo was taken New Year's Day at Kin Kannon Temple in Okinawa, Japan.

Most people try to make a visit to either a shrine or temple the first few days of January.

But, traffic conditions and weather sometimes make it difficult.

So, the tradition may be carried out any time during the month and, even into February.

The piece of folded paper being  placed on the branch of a tree, is her fortune.

Years ago, only fortunes that were considered bad, were displayed in this manner.

Now, it seems like everyone ties them, to be left behind, on New Years.

We can't be sure if that many people are going to have misfortune in the year 2013. 

It could just be, they are copying what they see others doing.

Whenever the shrine and temple photography slows down, I'll grab one of those fortunes.

If it's a good one, I'll keep it in my wallet. If not, up the tree it goes.

Then, I'll keep paying and taking fortunes, until we get it right !

Today's Feature Photo

KABOOM ! 2012 Arrived Y'all. So, HAPPY NEW YEAR !

OK this isn't exactly how it went.

Last night I was having way too much fun to be fooling around with my camera.

So I dug this kaboom photo up from my stockpiles.

To the best of my recollections the sayonara party for 2011 was a blast.

People were singing, drinking, dancing, laughing and running to the powder room.

There was one guy I hadn't seen in years, an old friend, who showed up.

Once, after a barroom brawl, he sewed this man's finger back together while we were sitting at the bar drinking.  I can't tell you his name because he's a dentist.  They're probably not supposed to do those sort of things and I'd hate to see him get in trouble.  Don't you think the dentist or finger-sewing union would have something to say about that ?

The Old Year left.  The New Year showed up, right on time.

We didn't have any fireworks because somebody forgot to buy them.  I think it was me.

So, everybody just said, Happy New Year.

Then, started singing, drinking, dancing, laughing, maybe, some kissing and running to the powder room, again.

Around 4 in the morning I sneaked off to a dark corner of the bar to make sure nobody was sleeping on the sofa.  Then, that's what I did.

Somebody woke me up when it was closing time.  There were five or six of us left in the bar.

New Year's Day is when we make our visit to the temple.

We have a routine.  Everybody, who can walk, goes to the temple when we close the bar on New Year's day.

The photo above was taken New Year's Day of 2011.

There wasn't any crowd trying to get in at 6:30 this morning.

Only four people were ahead of us this year so, we got right up there.

Mr. T, my old friend who would make a superb emergency medical technician but became a dentist instead, was fumbling around in his wallet.  I think he was looking for coins.

So, I gave him some pocket change.  He stopped fumbling.

When you go up the temple stairs, you don't really go inside the place.

On the front porch you stop.

People pray or make wishes for the New Year.

There are boxes you toss coins into and boxes full of paper fortunes.

We tossed our coins, grabbed our fortunes and got off the temple porch to read them.

Everybody got good ones this year, I think.

If you get a bad one, you tie it to a tree.  Some people go back and try to get a better fortune and keep tossing coins until they do.  I think they are nuts.  Slot machine owners and temple keepers probably love those kinds of people.  Hah !

My fortune for 2012 is excellent so I stuck it in my wallet.   I'll read it later, whenever I find my wallet.

We went across the street from the temple to sit in a tent and eat some soba.

OKINAWA SOBA is some great food.

Sometimes, I call it Okinawa Sober 'cuz that's what it does for me.

It was daylight before we got home.  The dogs were jumping around at the door.

They helped me put their harnesses on and they took me for our first 2012 walk on the beach.

We had to hurry back up the hill to the house because I forgot to turn off the porch light and I had to use the powder room so bad, I almost went KABOOM.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

VISIT MY HOMEPAGE FOR THE PHOTO OF THE DAY

New Year 2011 Bamboo, Girls and Fortunes in Okinawa (Photo)

After waiting in a long line at the Buddhist Temple in Kin Village Okinawa, Japan to get their fortunes for 2011 on a slip of paper these girls tied the paper to the bamboo growing on the Temple grounds. That's what lots of people do. They tie the things on anything they can reach.

Not me, though. After I stand in line for an hour and pay my nickle for a fortune, if it's a good one, I take it home with me and hang it on the fridge with a magnet so I can read it every once in awhile. It's not really a nickle; it's five yen. I guess that's a bit more than five cents these days.

Now if the thing says I'm going to have bad luck in the coming year, I'll stick it in a tree. Then, get back in line at the Temple and keep spending nickles until my luck improves. It beats gambling and you don't suppose a Buddhist Temple would be trying to scam folks, right?

When those girls hang their fortune in the bamboo, I'm not so sure they know what they're doing. Either that, or they really know what they're doing. Like, maybe their boyfriends have lots of nickles. Or, maybe, they just don't have a fridge to hang the things on. What do you think?

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