YASAKA KOUSHINDOU - Kyoto
八坂庚申堂のくくり猿のお話
These colorful balls can be found at this temple in Kyoto called YASAKA KOUSHINDOU (八坂庚申堂)
This temple is famous for these colorful balls, but these are actually not just colorful balls.
These are called KUKURI ZARU (くくり猿) which is really hard to translate exactly but maybe "monkey tie" does it all right because these balls represent "monkeys" you "tie" on a pillar...
What does KUKURI ZARU really mean in its Koushin belief?
It might be really interesting for you to know.
The folk faith says that to have a wish granted, you must sacrifice one desire. If you put your desire inside one of the color balls that represent the monkey Kukurizaru, Kōshin will help you to make that desire vanish and because desires are what keep wishes from coming true, your wish will be granted and you will also become a better person.
So you write one of your desires you can sacrifice on KUKURI ZARU to make your wish come true.
Like it says above, it is believed in Japan that desires in general are to keep wishes from coming true.
If you have a desire, your wish won't come true so you shouldn't have that desire.
But if you lost your desire, you wouldn't be happy even if your wish came true...... what?
Yes very confusing to me when I put that out in words but this is a very common belief in Japan and most of us, including myself, somehow understand the concept.
But why does it have to be monkey looking?
Here is why.
In Kōshin belief, it represents the control of the playful and desire-driven creature everyone has inside his body.
There are old traditions and beliefs regarding monkeys in Japan. Monkeys are considered kind spirits protecting us and our homes from evil spirits and harmful intentions. The three monkeys in the attitude of "not hearing, not seeing, not talking" are a part of the Kōshin faith.
I didn't know this part even though I am Japanese.
There are so many interesting cultures in Japan, especially ones that arise from religions, and even myself gets astonished by every little detail and its meaning...
Back to KUKURI ZARU, there are actually different kinds.
One of them is like this in the photo.
This is the KUKURI ZARU talisman hanging from a ceiling on a string.
You can actually find these kinds when you stroll around Kyoto especially at shops and stuff.
But these don't usually have desires written on them.
They are kind of good luck charms to keep close to their home or their business site.
When you visit Kyoto, you must go to this temple and write your desire on KUKURI ZARU so that your wish can come true.
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