Expressions of Faith
Reinosha link real, spiritual

By Jay Sakashita
Special to The Advertiser

O-Bon season is being celebrated at Japanese Buddhist temples throughout the Islands, marking the occasion when ancestral spirits are welcomed back to this world. While the concept of continuity and fluidity between this world and the spiritual realm is a hallmark of Japanese religion, many spiritual figures locally are said to possess the ability to mediate between human beings and the spiritual world on a regular basis. They are reinosha.

Reinosha may function as mediums, healers, psychics or spiritual counselors. Their presence in Hawai'i can be traced back to plantation camps, where they played key roles in healing rituals and exorcism. The tradition continues in some Japanese temples, shrines and homes.

Followers of Bishop Jikyu Rose of Koganji Temple in Manoa say spirits of the dead communicate with and through her to find peace for themselves and others. Besides serving as a medium, Rose teaches her followers to be compassionate and to reflect on their shortcomings in order to self-improve.

Perhaps the most popular figure in Japanese religious history is Kobo Daishi, who is the founder of Shingon Buddhism but also is venerated as a folkloric saint. The tradition of Kobo Daishi is carried on by the Rev. Dean Okimura at Koboji on North School Street, one of four local Shingon temples.

Some say Okimura's eyes are heavy and his body tired because of the physical demands placed on him in dealing with the spiritual world. It is said that he takes on the spiritual burdens of those who seek him out. His ability to discern the future and offer insights and advice attracts a broad following.

Reinosha also can be found in non-Buddhist houses of worship, including Zaoji, a Shugendo temple in Kalihi, where the Rev. Matsuoka Juncho lives.

Now in her 90s, Matsuoka Sensei is frail, but her eyes are still powerful and penetrating. She is known for her healing powers and ability to pacify spirits of aborted fetuses and deceased children. She performs a fire ritual in which requests and petitions to the spiritual world are inscribed on pieces of wood and burned while invocations are chanted. She bestows charms and amulets to ward off evil.

Ordinary people also can become reinosha. At Shinnyo En, a lay Buddhist order of about 2,000 members in Mo'ili'ili, for instance one can train and cultivate one's spiritual abilities.

Many criticize the motives and financial aspects of reinosha practices. Yet those who seek reinosha help say they gain awareness of the spiritual world around them and sensitivity to their own spiritual capacity.

Jay Sakashita teaches religion at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, Leeward Community College and Chaminade University.

Expressions of Faith is a column by pastors, priests, lay workers and other leaders in faith and spirituality. To contribute, e-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8036.