OTSU -- Hieizan Enryakuji temple on Mt. Hiei held Friday its annual great "goma" ritual, in which offerings are made by throwing sticks into a bonfire.
The temple's monks, including high-ranking Kokei Oki, 95, threw more than 100,000 sacred wood sticks into the fire to pray for world peace and the end of the new coronavirus pandemic.
A flame called Fumetsu no Hoto (immortal light) -- which is said to have been burning at the temple for more than 1,200 years -- was used to light the goma ritual fire on a platform about 5 meters in diameter.
Monks put sticks on which worshipers' wishes were written into the flames one by one as Oki recited, "We pray for the repose of the souls of victims of natural disasters, the end of the new coronavirus outbreak and the well-being of mankind."
This year, fewer people were invited to the traditional spring event in order to prevent the spread of the virus, and the temple did not serve amazake (sweet fermented rice drink).
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