What do you do when you want to throw away your toys, stuffs, and dolls?
\nDo you just throw them away with other trash or do you burn them in the garden?
\nIn Japan, we have a unique rites called Ningyo kuyo; a doll memorial service.<\/p>\n
H\u014dky\u014d-ji, known as \u201cthe Doll Temple\u201d, stores a lot of traditional dolls and it opens only twice a year for doll exhibitions and holds Doll Memorial Service on October 14th.<\/p>\n
You can find this ritual expresses Japanese spirits.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kyonaka-gozan.kyoto\/media\/koi\/sites\/10\/20191009-1-300x200.jpg\")
\nThe word \u201cmemorial service\u201d is indicated as to pray and offer some foods for the dead or ancestors to rest in peace.
\nIn Japan, people hold memorial service not only for animals like pets or items.
\nThis is because an item used for a long time is believed to be a kind of spirit called \u201ctsukumogami\u201d.<\/p>\n
The story goes that used items dumped by people in Heian era got mad and they said\u2026\u2026
\n\u201cHow damn that we\u2019ve been dedicated for people for a long time but they threw away without any gratitude. So we made up mind that we ask god to change us to monsters and revenge to them.\u201d
\nThe wish was accepted and they became tsukumogami.
\nIt is said that tsukumogami fool around people and bring a disaster.
\nTherefore people get to bring them to a temple and hold a memorial service for expressing their gratitude.<\/p>\n
Items made in the shape of a person means they are often treated differently than regular toys or stuffs because they are particularly capable of gaining a soul.
\nPeople in Kyoto bring dolls to H\u014dky\u014d-ji not to be a tsukumogami.<\/p>\n
On the memorial day, people bring a few dolls and stuffs.
\nThese items are burn and their ashes are buried at the grave for dolls.
\nAfter the buddhist service, a dance and song are performed by some women in traditional kimono.<\/p>\n
\u3010Information\u3011
\nAddress:
\n547 Dodo cho, Teranouchi dori,Horikawa Higashi iru, Kamigyo ku, Kyoto 602-0072
\nAccess:
\n\u30fb1-minute walk from \u201cHorikawa Teranouchi\u201d bus stop on the Kyoto Bus #9 at Kyoto Station
\n\u30fb15-minute walk from \u201cImadegawa\u201d or \u201cKuramaguchi\u201d St. on the Subway Karasuma Line.
\nEvent Date & Time:
\nOctober 14th, 10:30-12:00
\n*Dolls will be only accepted from 10:00 to 10:30 am on this day.
\nAdmission Fee:
\nFree<\/p>\n
A needle memorial service is annually held on December 8th and February 8th at Kokubo Horin-ji.
\nA lot of needles with five colors threads are put on konjac bed to thank them for their efforts!
\nPeople also pray for improvement of a needlework.<\/p>\n
A cutting tool memorial service is annually held on November 11th at Yasaka Shrine.
\nPeople in beauty salons industry offer their used scissors and cutting tools.
\nAlong with the word \u201ccut\u201d means people wish cutting their bad habits or relationships.<\/p>\n
A used book memorial service is annually held on October 31st at Hyakumanben Chion-in.
\nMany used books are sold for charity as a memorial service because of the thought that to finish reading equal to express gratitude.<\/p>\n
We are surrounded by a lot of things or stuffs these days.
\nSo we need to say \u201cThank you .\u201d to the item we love and send off with love when we used it over.<\/p>\n
You should receive such local information of Kyoto by an application “KoI APP”.
\nWith this application, even if you don\u2019t have Wi-Fi, you can find nearby stores and so on.
\nYou can install the application from the following URL.<\/p>\n