Baby's 100 Day Miyamairi

This last week marked our son Luis-Makoto's 100th Day on this Earth. In keeping with our adopted Japanese traditions first being the Shinto Hatsumiyamairi or Baby's first Shrine Visit on the 30th Day, we conclude with the Buddhist 100 Day Miyamairi ceremony performed at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. This is something we did six years ago for our daughter Mia. Surviving members of the Rosas Family and friends attended the service performed by Ryuzen Hayashi Sensei that included student Priest Tony Truong as seen in the above photo. We were blessed to have a son so that our daughter would not be alone in this world and further that our family line would continue. These blessings are done to ensure a long and happy life full of success. We with him great success!

Hatsumiyamairi: Baby's First Shrine Visit Part II

It seemed only yesterday that we had boarded the Virgin America plane from LAX with our daughter Mia-Naoko at 32 days of age to fly north to Seattle for her Hatsumiyamairi at the Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Granite Falls Washington. Fast forward six years later, embarked once again on the same identical journey with our newborn son Luis-Makoto for his First Shrine Visit.

According to Shinto Tradition, boys are to arrive at the Shrine 31 days after birth. Had we lived in Japan or in the Seattle area this would be no problem. But being there are no physical Shinto Shrines in the Los Angeles area, our only option was to make the journey to the nation's only Shinto Shrine on the continental United States located near the Canadian border. The logistics of planning the visit complicated by our son's early birth by two weeks placed his 31st day smack in the middle of the Thanksgiving Holiday Air Fare & Hotel booking rush thus we would arrive two weeks later than originally planned. The important part is that we made it.

The last time our daughter Mia was there, she was an infant having her own Hatsumiyamairi so bringing her to where she had been blessed and to where her parents were married made this visit extra special. As in times before, we were happily greeted by the Guji (Head Priest) Rev. Koichi Barrish and Mrs. Barrish upon arrival. It is always a pleasure to see them. 

While photos were not taken during the actual ceremony, we can tell you that our son (with his parents and older sister present) was blessed in this important life cycle event to ensure his health and happiness in life as well as to express gratitude to our patron deities for his safe delivery through the recitation of prayer and the waving of the Tamagushi by Barrish Sensei. As with our daughter, our infant son was given his first taste of Sake. We can't say if he liked it or not but his reaction was priceless. 

After the ceremony concluded, we took some photos and later toured the Shrine grounds. We have made many good memories over the course of our four visits to the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of North America. In particular, visiting the sacred tree that sits along the Pilchuck River. It is a sight to see!

When you visit the Shrine grounds, one would be remiss to not visit the Inari Fox Shrine located on the edge of the Pilchuck river on the back end of the Shrine Grounds. It is a unique place to make offerings and be one with the Kami.

A view of the Torii Gates leading to the Inari Fox Shrine.

Yours truly with my children.

We hope you enjoyed this blog entry. If you are considering having a Hatsumiyamairi there,

please contact the Shrine through their website at Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America.

Hatsumiyamairi - Baby's First Shrine Visit

Hatsumiyamairi - Baby's First Shrine Visit for a newborn baby is the first in a series of life cycle ceremonies in the Shinto Religion. This is done for the success, happiness, and overall well being of the newborn child. Being that there are no local Shinto Shrines in Little Tokyo, Tinahime and I decided upon our child's birth that for our little Mia-Naoko that make the trek up north to Granite Falls north of Seattle to The Grand Tsubaki Shrine of America for her very own Hatsumiyamairi.

Traditionally, Hatsumiyamairi is generally done on the 32nd day for boys and the 33rd day for girls. This of course can also be set by the Guji as in our case where the Rev. Koichi Barrish allowed us to have Mia's blessing on the 32nd day.

As no photography is allowed during the ceremony, we were given the oportunity to take this photograph and many others at the ceremony's conclusion. We were quite pleased with the ceremony and our little Mia who was wide awake was quite a receptive little angel earning the adoration of the Guji and Shrine staff.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, everyone including the baby partook in the sacred sake which presented a memorable reaction from Mia. At first she smiled then 30 seconds later squinted her eyes then all four limbs stretched instantly. I guess that sake' got the delayed reaction but all was good.

It was a brisk 35 degrees at the Grand Tsubaki Shrine but absolutely beautiful in the winter weather. This was our second visit to the Shrine and byfar a most pleasureable time up at the shrine. If you have a curiosity about Shinto outside of Japan, please visit The Grand Tsubaki Shrine of America. It is one hour north of Seattle and relatively easy to get to and well worth the experience.

We can not thank enough the Rev. Koichi Barrish & Mrs. Barrish as well as the Tsubaki Shrine staff for their warm hospitality. We look forward to our next visit to The Grand Tsubaki Shrine of America. Please enjoy these photos we took on the Shrine grounds kudasai. We enjoyed Mia-Naoko's Hatsumiyamairi and we are sure from our photos you will enjoy them too. Enjoy!