In Japan, people flock to shrines and temples on special occasions such as New Years and festivals. In the US, we tend to migrate toward churches, or if unaffiliated, just stay at home. For Thanksgiving, we give thanks for things we have and hope for continued good things in the future.When I was in Japan, I did more than just hope for a good future. I went to Kiyomizudera, a temple famous for many things. One of them is this spring. From the spring falls three streams of water. Each stream is associated with some blessing you may receive in the future if you drink from it. Your choices are - long life, wealth, and love. Don't ask me which one is which. But judging from my life right now and the stream from which I drank, wealth is not the one on the left.
1 comment:
When I went to Kiyomizu I decided to drink from all three. My grandmother laughed and said I was un-Japanese, but then I saw others quickly follow suit.
Can't say I've been wildly successful in any one of them - only mildly successful in all.
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