Kasajizou
'Kasajizou' is a Japanese folk tale about the event which happened on the New Year's eve to a kindhearted old couple. 'Kasa' means umbrella, but also means a traditional straw hat in old times. And 'Jizou' means a bodhisattva.
I feel we have little opportunity to see bodhisattva along a street, but I saw this lovely bodhisattva in Tokyo. Seemed like he doesn't need a kasa even when there is rain or snow. Every time I see a bodhisattva, I think of the Japanese folk tale 'Kasajizou'.
Long time ago, there lived an old couple who made 'kasa' to sell in the town. They wanted to sell them and buy rice cakes for New Year. So the old man headed to the town with carrying five 'kasa'. Shortly after he left home, it started to snow, and it got wilder and wilder. When he came outside the village, he saw six Jizo were lined up along a street, which were worshiped and prayed to by locals. They were covered with deep snow, and the old man couldn't pass them with doing nothing. A kindhearted old man gave them all hats which would been sold at the town market. But he had only five hats, although they were six. So, he took off his own hat, put it for the last jizou and returned home.
His wife got surprised because he came home early but she didn't complain, rather she said 'Poor jizou, you did good thing for them. I don't mind about rice cakes. We have something to eat.' with warm smile.
Late that night, they heard a strange song outside. The voice came closer and closer, and then there was a big thud in front of their door. The couple carefully opened the door. What they saw was a lot of gifts of rice cakes and treats for the New Year in front of the house, and the 6 figures with straw hats were going back in the dark.
I feel we have little opportunity to see bodhisattva along a street, but I saw this lovely bodhisattva in Tokyo. Seemed like he doesn't need a kasa even when there is rain or snow. Every time I see a bodhisattva, I think of the Japanese folk tale 'Kasajizou'.
His wife got surprised because he came home early but she didn't complain, rather she said 'Poor jizou, you did good thing for them. I don't mind about rice cakes. We have something to eat.' with warm smile.
Late that night, they heard a strange song outside. The voice came closer and closer, and then there was a big thud in front of their door. The couple carefully opened the door. What they saw was a lot of gifts of rice cakes and treats for the New Year in front of the house, and the 6 figures with straw hats were going back in the dark.
