[/floatl]Yomiuri: Where devotion means endurance
The last part of a seven-year-long ascetic religious practice -- arguably the nation's severest and one that has even been rumored to be fatal -- can be observed here on Mt. Hiei, the location of Enryakuji temple. The practice, Sennichi-kaihogyo, which resumed on March 28 and is to conclude on Sept. 18, literally refers to the touring of and around the 848-meter-high spiritual mountain for a thousand days. A gyoja, or a devotee of the practice, is to walk 40,000 kilometers, equivalent to circling the globe, by walking 30 to 84 kilometers a day, 100 or 200 days a year for seven to eight years. To show his willingness to risk his life, a gyoja wears only a white robe and carries a knife that can be used to put an end to his life in the event he fails, for any reason, to complete the practice. Daien Mitsunaga, 34, restarted his Sennichi-kaihogyo practice for the year last week. Fewer than 50 priests have completed the ordeal in the last 400 years, and he will be the 12th since 1945 if he finishes successfully in early autumn. Mitsunaga expressed mixed feelings about the upcoming conclusion of the grand tour just before starting this year's part, saying: "I'm excited to see the end. But at the same time, I'm anxious about tackling the hardships again"...more...
