DATE:		February 23, 2006 Buddhist sermon at 9:00a.m., Contest at noon
PLACE:		22 Daigo Higashiouji-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
DIRECTION:		10-minute walk from Subway Tozai Line at Daigo station
TEL:		81-75-571-0002
ADMISSION:		Free
TEXT:		This festival is nicknamed the “Godairiki-san,” or five great powers, as it is an event to pray for peace in the country and for sound health, through the power of five great Myouou including Fudo-myouou. It has over eleven hundred years’ history. A competition is held where people try to hold a huge rice cake for as long as they can. For women, the rice cake weighs 90 kg, while it is 150 kg for men. Participants offer their power to God and pray for sound health and a strong body. Last year (2005), the female winner recorded 7 min. and 7 sec., and the male winner marked 5 min. and 48 sec. Why don’t you join the competition?