On the morning of August 4, 2026, the *Tokudo* ceremony—a rite of passage for becoming a Buddhist monk—was held at Higashi Honganji (Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto), the head temple of the Shinshu Otani-ha sect. Children with fresh, eager expressions attended the ceremony, some with their heads shaved and others with their hair tied back.
In the Shinshu Otani-ha sect, children can undergo *Tokudo* at the age of nine, marking the age at which the sect's founder, Shinran, entered the priesthood. While the ceremony is typically held once a month, two sessions are conducted in August due to high demand from elementary school students during summer vacation.
On this day, a total of 100 participants—comprising 63 males and 37 females, including 48 nine-year-old children—took part in the event. Around 8:30 a.m., they entered the *Goeido* (Founder's Hall) and underwent the *Teito-no-gi* (Ritual of the Razor), in which Choyu Otani, the sect's spiritual leader (*Monshu*, aged 74), touched a razor to their heads. Following this, they were bestowed with a religious name and performed a service that included chanting the *Shoshinge* (Hymn of True Faith) and the *Nembutsu* (invocation of the Buddha's name), both of which were written by Shinran.
With radiant expressions, the participants posed for a group photo to commemorate taking their first step as Buddhist monks.
