Oufukucha the first tea to drink in the new year, and Ehosha, which points in the direction of eho every year

Yoshie Doi


Daifukucha

Ehosha

   In 951, when an epidemic broke out in Kyoto, Kuya Shogun, the founder of Rokuharamitsu-ji Temple, offered tea to Kannon, and gave the sick people a drink. Many people have recovered, and there is a history of epidemics subsiding.

 More than 1000 years ago, Emperor Murakami learned from Kuya and began to serve this tea every year on New Year’s Day. At that time, it was called King fuku tea, but it was called Royal clothes tea, Big fuku tea, and as the times progressed, it became Daifuku tea, which is indicated by auspicious characters.

This is the beginning of Daifuku tea, which originated in Kyoto.

Since then, in Kyoto, it is the first drink before toso in the New Year to pray for good health for the year. Ever since, after praying the first sunrise of the year, I also have been drinking sencha with koume, kombu, and gold powder every year.

 In Kyoto, there is an eho shrine in Shinsen-en that changes direction depending on the lucky direction of the year. The Jitsukan of the 2023 year is Mizunotou, and the lucky direction is between the Miuma (south-southeast). The god of the year will come to our house from this eho (direction), so from 10:30 pm on December 31st, we will welcome the new year in facing the eho direction  of the Toshitokujin. It is a shrine that faces the lucky direction every year.

 Daifukucha and Toshigami-sama meet once a year, so we want to enjoy them this January.

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