針供養Hari-Kuyou : memorial service for needle
Japanese treat physical matters like as living matters
“HARI-KUYOU” is one of religious observances of Japanese Buddhism held on 8th of February at SENSOJI temple in Tokyo, ASAKUSA. It is said in Japan that the day is “KOTO HAJIME no HI” which means the starting day of work deriving from the habit of agriculture but a few people recognize this day nowadays. “HARI” means needle for sewing and etc. and “KUYOU” means mainly the memorial service praying to Buddha for the ancestors or the deceased. So “HARI-KUYOU” is praying to Buddha having with thankfulness for decrepit HARI(needle) of their hard work on sewing in the past on the first day of working, “KOTO HAJIME no HI”. People especially those who handling needling task of garment industries bring old needles and put them on tofu (very soft Japanese soybean curd) prepared by the temple, and show their appreciation to needles’ hard work having being used to hard materials by putting on soft tofu as almost like human being. This illustrates many Japanese treat tools not as just materials or substances but as partners as if which had soul like living person, and show their appreciation for their contribution to them.
Another scene can be seen at Sensoji, Kugi-kuyou (memorial service for nail). The carpenter’s association hold the memorial service once a year for KUGI, nail, where carpenters show their appreciations to nail and other tools helping their business.
Treat tools nice
Similarly, scenes that Japanese treat tools more than the physical matters can been seen at many occasions showing Japanese handling their tools very nicely and cleanly.
In my childhood, I was told off by my parents when I got textbooks or other studying materials dirty or treated poorly saying “you should treat them well otherwise karma will catch up with you!” During school days, I was belonging to the club of KENDO, Japanese traditional sward fighting match and similar to fencing, and teacher taught us to treat tools always nice and keep in good condition.
It may be related to the concept of “DO” of JUDO and other Japanese traditional sports and cultural activities with DO.(please refer DO道.) Further Japanese famous and successful baseball playsers, soccer football player and others, we can in the news program, are always admired how they are good in attitude as well as their treatment of their belomgings.
I believe that the reason why many of Japanese, especially successful Japanese in many fields, treasure and treat nice the tools is because the teaching of treating tools nice has been inherited over many generations from parents to children and teachers and students.
Religion of Japanese is Japanism?
Why have parents been teaching so? While Japanese religion is commonly regard as Buddhism which came down from India through China and Korea in 6th century and Japanese Shinto which is the ancient animism creed, Buddhism had become the main stream but it had been influenced by animistic Japan’s Shinto and other Chinese religions such as Confucianism, Analects, Taoism, and Japanese religion finally have become, I say, Japanism.
Behind Japanese behavior and its thoughts, the one that they offer the memorial service for tool such as nail which is HARI-KUYOU I previously explained, we Japanese have unique and elaborate religious mentality composed during the long history.
Summary : All things have souls
Rather than Hari-Kuyo explained in this post, there are many cases like this rites, 人形供養 Ningyo-Kuyou(memorial service for Doll) , 着物供養 KImono-Kuyou(memorial servivce for Japanese Kimono. There is a concept that these items are not substances but partners or friends being together for long time, so we can’t throw these things away as garbage. Such sentiment lead Japanese to treat tools nicely.
For Tour Guide san
If you have a chance to take your customer to the occasion of Hari-Kuyou at Asakusa Senso-ji on 8th of February, please explain that many of Japanese think have a concept “all things have souls” and its concept is lead Japanese to treat tools and materials nicely and thank them to help for long time.
Welcome your recommendation of the theme for next!
I may overlook some ordinary action which impress you or let you feel different, so if you want to know about any Japanese behavior or actions which make you interesting, please let me know. I try to analize and post the story in this site.
