May 27, 2015
Special Delivery: Temple Instruments from Japan

Last month when Hoitsu Suzuki Roshi visited the United States, he attended the Mountain Seat Ceremony at Austin Zen Center to install a new abbot. But he also made a visit to San Francisco Zen Center, bringing with him two beautiful instrument boxes.Each of them contained a small drum, a portable inkin bell, and a pair of cymbals—instruments that would be used for the Sejiki or Obon ceremonies, among other events. These had been given to Hoitsu by Shoko Ozawa Roshi of Shosen-in in Japan, who wanted them to go to a good home. Here is Hoitsu demonstrating how to play the cymbals.

Photos by Shundo David Haye

Photos by Shundo David Haye