This year’s Hoshi Matsuri (Star Festival) Prayer Service and Mamemaki (Bean Tossing) Ritual will be held at the temple on Sunday, February 16th at 1:30 pm. The service will also be broadcast live via Zoom.
At the Hoshi Matsuri Prayer Service, we pray to the stars for a year of happiness and good fortune and to ward off misfortune. The stars represent the moon, sun, planets, comets, and constellations whose movements according to Japanese astrology influences our lives and determines our fortune.
During the Hoshi Matsuri Service, the Goma Fire Ritual and ceremonial burning of the Soe Gomagi (wooden prayer sticks, sold separately) will also be performed by Reverend Coy. The Soe Gomagi with each person’s prayer / wish to the Buddha will be burned in the Goma fire as we pray for our wishes to come true. The Hoshi Matsuri omamori will also be blessed during this ritual.
You can order a personalized special blessing and omamori for the Hoshi Matsuri through the page linked below:
Of course, since we hold a Goma Ritual, you can also order Gomagi (Wish Sticks that are cast into the fire) and Paper or Wood Ofuda (talismans):
If you prefer to order with the old application form you can download it here: 2025 Hoshi Matsuri Form
Payment instructions can be found on the form, but please submit paper requests as quickly as possible. To allow ample time for us to prepare the Hoshi Matsuri omamori, please submit your application form(s) and donations no later than one week before the date of the ritual.
The Mamemaki Ritual, which will be held following the service, is a traditional Japanese ritual to cleanse and drive away the demons of misfortune by throwing fuku mame (good luck beans) and inviting in good fortune by chanting “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi ” (demons of misfortune out, good fortune in).
Find your Star in the chart below. You can click on the image to download a PDF version.
Please Note:
This is based on the 2025 lunar year, which begins on January 29, 2025, and ends on February 16, 2026, anyone born on January 29 and after can find their fortune for the year by using their birth year to locate their star. However, a person born on January 1st to January 29 is considered to have been born the year before and should use the previous year’s birth year to locate their star. For example, a person born on January 15th, 2002 should use the 2001 birth year to find his / her star.
If you have any questions, please contact the Temple at (916) 444-0111.
Thank you for your continuing support. We pray that you will have a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous year in 2025.
Gassho,
Northern California Koyasan Temple
