Year of the Rabbit Redux

A temple souvenir

Has it already been twelve years?

A dozen years ago tonight, I joined three friends to literally ring in the Year of the Rabbit at a tiny temple called Shoinji (勝胤時) in Osakura, Chiba. I say literally, because the tradition in Japan is to ring the temple bell 108 times to chime away each of humanity's earthly desires. The temple's priest was a warm, welcoming middle-aged gentleman who greeted us strangers as if we were long time members. There couldn't have been many more than ten people there in all, and we shared amazake (a sweet non-alcoholic version of sake), laughed at the priest's jokes, and took turns ringing the bell.

It was a crisp night. Despite being dressed for the weather, it was still cold enough that we jumped at the chance to pile into the warm car of two more friends we coincidentally met at the temple.

It's incredible to think that I am still in touch with all five people with whom I shared that memorable evening. There are two couples still together, the fifth friend came to visit us this summer with his new wife, and thanks to Facebook, I communicate again with the sixth friend. Given such an auspicious start to the last Year of the Rabbit, I can only hope that this one is just as good.