A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

2^8 Japanese Miscellany
down awhile under the awnings to make a rough
drawing (afterwards corrected and elaborated by
a Japanese friend) of the altar and the offerings.
The service was not held at the appointed
time: it must have been nearly three o'clock
when the priests made their appearance. There
were seven of them, in vestments of great ceremony
; and they were accompanied by acolytes
carrying bells, books, stools, reading-stands, and
other necessary furniture. Priests and acolytes
took their places under the blue awning; the
spectators standing outside, in the sun. Only
one of the priests, — the chief officiant, — sat
facing the altar ; the others, with their acolytes,
seated themselves to right and left of him, — so
as to form two ranks, facing each other.
II
After some preliminary rearrangement of the
offerings upon the altar, and the kindling of some
incense-rods, the ceremony proper began with a
Buddhist hymn, or g^thS, which was chanted to
the accompaniment of hydshigi^ and of bells.
* Hyoshigi are small blocks of hard wood, which are
used, either for signalling or for musical purposes, by strik-