Konji-ji's Saito Goma fire ceremony The Gyoja Mondo , or “Practitioner Questions and Answers,” are performed at the start of Saito Goma fire rituals. Now as in the past, these rituals are performed by Shugen practitioners as a way of sharing the merits cultivated in the mountains with communities. In the past, any authentic initiate of Shugendo was welcome to participate, as their presence was believed to enhance the potency of the ritual. As a free lunch and a share of the

He sits or stands on a boulder surrounded by an aureole of flame. His name, “Fudō,” simply means “Unmoved.” 

It'll be no secret to you that we live in tough economic times. So much of the discourse surrounding dāna or generosity centers on money,...

I initially came to Japan because I was interested in getting a firsthand experience of Japanese Buddhism. However, by a strange and...

Researching the Shikoku Henro seems like an endless collection of lists, with all the temple names and deities, the costume elements, the...