Autumnal Equinox Day

Officially, autumn did announce its presence today. Autumnal Equinox Day is celebrated as a public holiday and marks the change of seasons. During higan, with its religious origin, people visit family graves to clean, offer flowers and food, burn incense and to pray for their ancestors.

This is also the time when you as a westerner gets all kinds of remarks, such as “Aren’t you cold?”, “Don’t you find it chilly today?” “Oh, so you’re wearing short sleeved?” “Do you like wearing black t-shirts?” Reality check and translation, you aren’t dressed as you are supposed to. No consideration is taken into that the temperature is still very much the same as when the papers in your native country write about the upcoming heat wave. For now I’ll continue to troop my black short sleeved t-shirts and if it gets cooler, I´ll go with a 3/4 sleeve.The Koyasan Shingon temple is a branch of esoteric Mahayana Buddhism where Hindu elements are incorporated. Those might be mandalas, which are symbols representing the universe, mudra (hand gestures), the chanting of mantras and even multi-armed deities. The sect was founded in Japan in the 9^th century.

This is the Henjo hall of the Tokyo branch of Koyasan temple. Shingon deityJizo is found at temples but also along roads or streets. It’s the bosatsu (guardian) of those who suffer, like sick children. Jizo also helps children who have died into the next world.