Osame-Fudo (The Year's Last Fudo Fair)
Seasonal EventsWhat Is Osame-Fudo?
December 28 is "Osame-Fudo," the year's final fair day for Fudo Myoo. The 28th of every month is Fudo Myoo's ennichi, or fair day, and the last of the year, December 28, carries the name osame -- "closing." Fudo temples across Japan hold services to round off the year.
A Day to Give Thanks and Draw a Line
On Osame-Fudo, temples hold ritual burnings in which the amulets and talismans kept through the year are returned to the flames. The day is about thanking the deity for a year's protection and turning toward the new one.
- Meaning of the date: the last of the monthly 28th fair days for Fudo Myoo
- Main observances: ritual burning of amulets, and the year's closing goma fire rite
- What it signifies: gratitude for a year of protection, and a break before the new year
- Origin of the name Fudo Myoo: a translation of the Sanskrit "Acala-natha," meaning "immovable protector"
Other Deities Have Their "Closing" Fair Too
Naming the year's last fair day with osame is not unique to Fudo Myoo. Each December fair day has its own "closing" version, and they draw crowds. This custom is part of why temples and shrines are busy at year's end.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Check whether a nearby Fudo temple is holding an Osame-Fudo service
- Gather up the amulets and talismans you kept this year
- Confirm when and how the temple accepts items for ritual burning
- Read up on who Fudo Myoo is and where the figure comes from
Burn It, Return It, and Cross Into the New Year
Letting go of what you used for a year, with thanks, is the same instinct behind deep cleaning and clearing out paperwork. December 28 is a day to set down what you have been carrying, physically and otherwise.