- Ritual
- 十三参り
- Region and community
- 日本・京都／法輪寺を中心とする地域文化
- Age at the cultural rite
- Age 13
- Transition conditions
- Reaching a recognized age / New social responsibilities
- Legal age of majority
- Japan18 yearsJapan · Calendar unspecified · Law and supporting sources
About the rite
At Jūsan-mairi, children of around thirteen by traditional age reckoning visit temples such as Hōrin-ji in Kyoto to pray to Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva for wisdom. At thirteen, the twelve animals of the zodiac have completed one cycle, and the age was once seen as a threshold of adulthood. According to a local tradition, children leaving Hōrin-ji should wait until they have crossed Togetsukyō Bridge before looking back.
Hōrin-ji has observance periods in spring and autumn. The visit celebrates a step toward adulthood and the wisdom it calls for.
Related rites
