Pour Water On Buddha in Hozenji Temple for Good Luck

Invited by the smell of of incense, I turned into a small alley in Osaka and saw people surrounding a mini temple called Hozenji Temple.

Hozenji Temple

I stepped closer to observe what was going on. The temple devotees were queuing to pour water over the Buddha statue called Mizukake (water-throwing) Fudo. Later I learned that it’s believed that splashing water over the green moss-covered God will bring good luck. A tradition that is quite similar to the Hindu practice of pouring milk over the Gods and Goddess statues.

“You should let others pray“, Fafa whispered to me. “I want to pray too” I replied. And I did. I said Hi and thank-you to the green moss-covered God, who reminded me of Jizo, the protector of children and travelers in Japanese culture.

While I did my prayers to the Kami (God or Spirit in Shinto religion),  Fafa stood on the corner of Hozenji temple, where there were rows of white prayer lanterns on one side and a wall filled with hanging Ema boards on the other side.

Writing Prayers on the Ema Board

“Let’s write our prayers“, I suggested. I anticipated another protest from him. Instead, he dug out the 1000 Yen coin and passed it to me. I think being on the honeymoon made him tolerate my antics more. Bless his soul.

I exchanged my coin with an Ema board and wrote my wish for a happy marriage on it. I then said another quick prayer while hanging it. For the Buddha to grant my wish and the rest of the wishes there.

Though Hozenji Temple is located in one of the busiest areas of Osaka, Dotonburi, the whole atmosphere around it oozed tranquillity. It felt as if you entered another dimension of the world once you turned into the Hozenji Yokocho, the small alley where the temple is located.

Hozenji temple apparently looks more beautiful in the evening when it’s lit by all the lanterns. If I were to rank my favourite shrines in Japan, they would be among the top three.

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