Temple in Kitsumoto, Shimotsu-cho, Kainan City.
Fukusho-ji Temple is located near the Kumano Kodo Kii Route. It is a Shingon Buddhist temple, which is rare in this area, and temple legend states that Kobo-Daishi Kukai underwent ascetic training here.
The Gumonji-do was built by Yorinobu Tokugawa, the first lord of the Kishu Domain.
In the morning, we gathered at 7:30 a.m. for an explanation of the temple, sutra reading, meditation and breathing exercises, cleaning, and sutra copying, followed by a vegetarian bento lunch.
In the afternoon, we participated in a gomadaki (goma-burning) ceremony, as it was the Fudo Myoo’s festival day.
While the priest read sutras, we put wooden plates, or gomagi, on which we had written our wishes, into the fire ourselves.
Mr. Ura, the chief monk, told us many valuable stories about his training at Koyasan, Buddhism, etiquette, etc. It was a day that went by very quickly.
