Below is a little video I put together on October 13, 2014 from photos and videos. These video tour begins with images from my Docho ceremony. When a person begins the process of becoming a priest the first step is Tokudo. The Tokudo is where a novice shaves their head and takes up the robes as well as abandons family and the life of a lay practitioner. While the Tokudo is important it isn’t until the novice takes Docho and registers their name at Seicho-ji temple the home temple of Nichiren. Until the Docho ceremony is completed then a person is not officially a Nichiren Shu Shami. This is the beginning of a multi year process depending upon the individual and the teacher.
Other photos come from the time I lived in Japan as well as from a pilgrimage lead by Ryuoh Faulconer Shonin when he was serving at the temple in Portland OR where he was training me.
There are a couple of video clips of the Oeshiki celebration, commemorating the death of Nichiren. The night of October 12th there is a huge parade and street fair that takes place on the main thoroughfare leading up to Ikegami Honmon-ji, the temple where Nichiren died and was cremated. I have included a narration to help explain some of the images.
I hope you enjoy this video.
