Prayers at Iwaki-yama Shrine on a once-in-12-years auspicious day

Hello.

My "Personal Revolution" begins in the kitchen.
I am Ayako Miwa, creator of the magic spoonful
and representative of the Fermented Beauty Association✨

May 12, 2025
Today is a special day that occurs once every 12 years,
where the Year of the Snake, the Month of the Snake, and the Day of the Snake all align✨

The snake (mi) is said to be
the messenger of Benzaiten,
the goddess of wealth, fortune, and the arts.

And,
I was born in the Year of the Snake.

With today being the Year, Month, and Day of the Snake,
it is
a very special day!

After being told this,
I went to visit
Iwaki-yama Shrine in my hometown of Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture.

Iwaki-yama Shrine is located
at the foot of Mount Iwaki,
also known as the Tsugaru Fuji, and has gathered faith from many people.

At this sacred place boasting over 1,200 years of history,
I reported that the "3rd Fermented Beauty Instructor® Training Course"
is about to begin, and prayed for its successful completion.

This course is not just about
knowledge and techniques of fermentation,
but also learning to cultivate health of mind and body,
and to organize one's life itself.

It is an environment that creates opportunities
to shine as your true self.

I offered my prayers with all my heart,
hoping that this will be the start of a richer life for everyone aiming to become a Fermented Beauty Instructor.

Actually, this was my first time receiving a prayer at Iwaki-yama Shrine.

I truly felt the special atmosphere,
and was enveloped in a feeling that made me straighten my posture.

While envisioning my own journey so far
and my future ahead,
I put my hands together...✨

The snake is considered a symbol of
"rebirth" and "new beginnings"
due to its habit of shedding its skin to grow,
which is truly the perfect theme
for me right now.

And then,
I went to the "Hakuun Dai-jinja Shrine" located just to the right of the main grounds.

It is a shrine dedicated to the Dragon God,
but since ancient times, dragons and snakes have been considered the same existence,
and there is also a "White Snake Pond" nearby.

Just as we were visiting,
it started to rain...

I heard from the person who brought me
that this means we are being welcomed by the Dragon God✨
(The Dragon God is the deity who governs water)

I am filled with deep gratitude
for being able to offer prayers at Iwaki-yama Shrine
on this special day.
Thank you so much✨

I hope that the upcoming third term of the course
will be a time for each of the participants
to face themselves once again,

and to undergo self-transformation
through Fermented Beauty Food.

And I, too,
will spare no effort in further learning, growth, and evolution,
and by borrowing the power of the Year of the Snake, Month of the Snake, and Day of the Snake,
I will firmly take a new step forward✨

Day 149 of my daily blog.
Thank you for reading again today.

"Valuing what you eat
means valuing yourself."

The Fermented Beauty Association
creates love and happiness from the dining table
and teaches Fermented Beauty Food that changes lives.
And,
we are working to pass on the culture of Japan's traditional food,
the wonder of koji that has existed in Japan since ancient times,
to the future,
so that our regions, society, and the Earth
will remain prosperous 100 years from now.

https://www.hakko-bijin.com/

InstagramI would be happy if you could follow me there too✨