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96
THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO.
They quitted the ishi-ya and proceeded to a keidai (enclosure)
in front of the building, discovered a temporary do
(shrine), erected in the courtyard. On a stand in this edifice
was a lotus, supporting a canopy representing the Ten-gai
(heavenly hat), beneath which was a copper figure of Shaka,
standing in a lotus-shaped bowl.
At each corner of the structure were vases filled with na
(yew) flowers, and in front of it was a koro (incense burner)
and a lighted candle.
A crowd swarmed about the edifice, and every now and
then a worshipper would take a his-hia-ku (small bamboo dip-
per) filled with hama-cha (tea sweetened with kanzo (liquorice)
or kosui (scented water made of incense) and pour the
liquid over the figure of Shaka, while the lookers-on bowed
and repeated the prayer:
" Namu Amida Butsu"
As the party were watching the scene, a bozu, carrying in
his left hand a bucket containing a little figure of Shaka, and
in his right a fan, quitted the group and started for the main
gate, shouting:
"Won't you buy my hama-cha to wash my Shaka?"
" " He peddles the sweet tea," said Oto. People who are
sick and cannot come to the temples, buy of him and bathe the
little image he carries. This festival is really in commemora-
tion of the birth of Buddha and is equivalent to your Christ-
mas Day. We have a saying:
" '
ICam-butsu-ya
Medetaki koto ni
Tera mairi?
(At the bathing of Buddha, as on an occasion of mirthful
congratulation, we go to the temple.) "