The morning religious services
How to enjoy
朝のお勤めの楽しみ方
Basically we pray for the ancestors in the morning ceremony, and we make the prayer in the Goma fire ritual.
For those who is staying at Ekoin can attend these ceremonies without reservation and fees.
Morning ceremony is held at our main temple for 30 minutes, Goma fire ritual is held in a different hall from main temple for 30 minutes.
We recommend you hold a memorial service for your ancestors when you visit Koyasan.
You can also make a wish in the Goma fire ritual.
Regarding the dress code
and photo shootings
Pajamas and Yukata are not allowed to wear in the ceremonies.
We recommend you wear the warm clothes in the winter time.
Photography using flashes or making a clicking sound is prohibited.
Regarding the morning
ceremony
Monks recite the sutras during the ceremony to make a memorial service for all the
ancestors worshipped in the main temple.
We have devoted ourselves to pray for the repose of ancestors' souls for more than a
thousand year in Ekoin.
“Eko” means to give thanks to our ancestors and hold a memorial service. To practice virtue.
lets your ancestors rest in peace and brings rewards to you.
We recommend you hold a memorial service for your ancestor when you visit Koyasan.
For more information about memorial service, please click here.
Regarding the offering
incense.
During the morning ceremony, a monk will ask you to offer the incense to the principal
Buddha and ancestors worshipped in the main temple.
By offering the incense, you can convey your feelings to the Buddha and purify yourself.
Please see the below procedure.
①Come to the urn in the middle of main temple one by one.
②Take a pinch of incense from the container next to the urn with your right hand.
③Place it on the smoldering incense in the urn.
④Make a bow.
⑤Come back to your seat.
Regarding the Goma fire
ritual
It is held at Bishamon hall different from the main temple. Right after the morning
ceremony, we ask all the participants to gather at the entrance with the shoes.
Once it is ready we will take you to the hall.
Goma fire ritual is a mystic ritual of Esoteric Buddhism that was brought from China by our founder “KOBO-DAISHI”.
The ritual is performed for the purpose of destroying negative energies, detrimental
thoughts and desires, and for the making of secular requests and blessings.
It is free of charge to attend it for the guests who stay at Ekoin.
After the ritual, a priest will ask you to take the appreciated smoke from the urn and put it
on the body where you would like to make better.
This smoke is believed that brings merit from the Buddha.
We also recommend you pray for your wishes in the fire ritual if you have when you are in
Koyasan.
For more information about prayer, please click here.