As the year comes to a close, we invite you to join us for two deeply significant services at the Northern California Koyasan Buddhist Temple: our Joya Service on December 31, 2025 at 5 pm, and our Shusho-e Service on January 1, 2026 at 11 am.
Joya Service – 5pm December 31
Held on New Year’s Eve, the Joya Service is a time to reflect on the year that has passed and to let go of negative emotions, actions, and attachments. During this service, we strike the temple bell 108 times, symbolizing the purification of the 108 earthly desires and ushering in a renewed spirit for the coming year. This solemn yet uplifting ritual reminds us of our ability to begin anew with clarity and purpose.
Shusho-e Service and Goma – 11am January 1
The Shusho-e Service on New Year’s Day is a celebration of hope, gratitude, and intention-setting for the year ahead. Together, we offer prayers for health, happiness, and peace for ourselves, our families, and the world. It is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to the teachings of Shingon Buddhism and to align our hearts with compassion and wisdom as we step into the new year.
During this service, we also make wishes and set intentions of success and happiness for the coming year during a Goma fire ritual.
These ceremonies are more than traditions, they are pathways to spiritual renewal and shared community strength. By attending, you’ll find moments of peace, reflection, and a sense of unity with others at the end of 2025 and the start of the new year.
Service Times:
Joya Service: December 31, 2025, at 5 PM
Shusho-e Service: January 1, 2026, at 11 AM
We encourage you to invite family and friends to join us in these meaningful observances. Let us come together to close 2025 with gratitude and welcome 2026 with open hearts and bright aspirations.
