Do you know what is the two classic symbols of July in Japan?
One of it is the hozuki plant (the Ground Cherry Pod).
And today, I am going to introduce to you a relatively low-key but the lively event which is the Hozuki-Ichi at the Asakusa Temple.
The Japanese people, since the ancient times, have believed that performing certain acts of merit on certain special days, will be blessed with a great number of blessings. One of a certain special days is July 10 which is dedicated to the Kannon deity.
July 10, the day of 46,000 days of acts of merit
On this day, if you visited the temple dedicated to the deity, Kannon, and performed an act of merit, this act is equivalent to 46,000 days of acts of merit. This is truly one-day-only offer for the busy but religious people to make it right for their absence. Therefore, July 10th has been a popular day of worship for many Japanese people and as the Asakusa Temple is one place in Tokyo where the Kannon deity resides, many came with the intention to perform this one day act of merit.
The Hozuki plant
At the same time, on July 10th, another special event takes place, the Hozuki-Ichi or also known as the Ground Cherry Pod Fair. The reasons for the start of Hozuki-Ichi is rather fuzzy. But it has been said that the Hozuki-Ichi begun to be over 200years ago in the 17th century. It all started with an attendant who found a pot of hozuki plant while cleaning the garden. He recalled his dream from the night before that Atago Gongen, the avatar of Bodhisattva Jizo came to him and told him about the curative properties of the plant. And he was so inspired by his dream that he made an announcement to encourage people to eat the green fruit of the hozuki on June 24 (it is one of the days for performing acts of merit) to cure themselves of any health problems. Eventually, some brave souls tried and found that for some miraculous reasons, it worked! Their story spread, but it was still not the start of the Hozuki-Ichi in Asakusa Temple's precincts.
Before the vendors at the Asakusa Temple start selling the hozuki plant, they used to sell red corn. The red colour of the red corn is believed to have magical powers to ward off lightning (They must have lots of lightning strike accidents in the past to be wanting something magical to ward them off). However, due to a poor harvest, the red corn became unavailable. The vendors, trying to cope with the demand came up with the idea of selling a triangle-shaped charms on a bamboo stick. These charms became popular and after a while, the number of corn vendors slowly dwindling and gone. Perhaps still unsatisfied by the fake triangle-shaped charms, the consumers found that the red heart-shaped fruit of hozuki captivating and its ability to cure health problems, is an attractive substitute for the red corn and the fake charms. With its steady popularity, the vendors start selling the hozuki plants on July 9 and 10 and that is the start of the Hozuki-Ichi in Asakusa Temple's precincts.
Nowadays, the hozuki plant is used as a house decoration for the Obon day, a day where the spirits of their ancestors return home. The hozuki fruit represents the light that guides the soul on their journey back home. Many Japanese people buy the plant while it is still green with a few red ones to take home and grow them. After a couple of weeks, the green fruit on the plant will ripen in time for the Obon.
One of it is the hozuki plant (the Ground Cherry Pod).
And today, I am going to introduce to you a relatively low-key but the lively event which is the Hozuki-Ichi at the Asakusa Temple.
The Japanese people, since the ancient times, have believed that performing certain acts of merit on certain special days, will be blessed with a great number of blessings. One of a certain special days is July 10 which is dedicated to the Kannon deity.
July 10, the day of 46,000 days of acts of merit
On this day, if you visited the temple dedicated to the deity, Kannon, and performed an act of merit, this act is equivalent to 46,000 days of acts of merit. This is truly one-day-only offer for the busy but religious people to make it right for their absence. Therefore, July 10th has been a popular day of worship for many Japanese people and as the Asakusa Temple is one place in Tokyo where the Kannon deity resides, many came with the intention to perform this one day act of merit.
The Hozuki plant
At the same time, on July 10th, another special event takes place, the Hozuki-Ichi or also known as the Ground Cherry Pod Fair. The reasons for the start of Hozuki-Ichi is rather fuzzy. But it has been said that the Hozuki-Ichi begun to be over 200years ago in the 17th century. It all started with an attendant who found a pot of hozuki plant while cleaning the garden. He recalled his dream from the night before that Atago Gongen, the avatar of Bodhisattva Jizo came to him and told him about the curative properties of the plant. And he was so inspired by his dream that he made an announcement to encourage people to eat the green fruit of the hozuki on June 24 (it is one of the days for performing acts of merit) to cure themselves of any health problems. Eventually, some brave souls tried and found that for some miraculous reasons, it worked! Their story spread, but it was still not the start of the Hozuki-Ichi in Asakusa Temple's precincts.
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| The miracle plant! |
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| The small red heart-shaped fruit is the captivator of Japanese people's heart |
The Hozuki-Ichi (the Ground Cherry Pod Fair) on July 9 and 10
The Hozuki Ichi is held on every year, on July 9th and 10th, at the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa. So if you go to Asakusa Temple on July 9 or 10, you will be entertained with lively cries of hozuki vendors, feast your eyes on the red heart-shaped fruit of hozuki and perhaps, even be tempted to buy a stick or a pot of hozuki plant.
At the time of writing this post, we in Tokyo, are facing the typhoon Neoguri that could possibly do lots of damage. But as you can see here in my photos, life goes on unconcerned to another impending threat of major disaster.
I had always admired the cool-headedness in the Japanese people. This is one country that you want to be in when there is a disaster as there is no safer country than Japan!
And oh, the other symbol of July is the wind chime. Enjoy your summer!
The Hozuki Ichi is held on every year, on July 9th and 10th, at the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa. So if you go to Asakusa Temple on July 9 or 10, you will be entertained with lively cries of hozuki vendors, feast your eyes on the red heart-shaped fruit of hozuki and perhaps, even be tempted to buy a stick or a pot of hozuki plant.
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| A persuasive seller |
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| A convinced buyer |
At the time of writing this post, we in Tokyo, are facing the typhoon Neoguri that could possibly do lots of damage. But as you can see here in my photos, life goes on unconcerned to another impending threat of major disaster.
I had always admired the cool-headedness in the Japanese people. This is one country that you want to be in when there is a disaster as there is no safer country than Japan!
And oh, the other symbol of July is the wind chime. Enjoy your summer!
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