63. Dancing in the Dead of Night

The Osashizu (Divine Directions) mentioned from time to time that the Honseki was like a three-year-old child. The truth of these words may not be readily apparent, but the story of someone who stayed at the Honseki’s residence one night gives credence to God’s words.

On a particular uncomfortable summer night, this person woke up and heard singing coming from the Honseki’s bedroom. As he strained to listen, he noticed the voice sounded familiar. It was Rin Masui singing a traditional children’s song, “As I look from the high mountains to the low valleys, I see melons and eggplants….”

Her singing was accompanied by clapping. The sounds suggested someone was dancing joyfully and having a good time.

Once the song ended, there was a sound of legs stamping. Someone then asked, “What do you think? Do I look like a sumo wrestler?”

There was no mistake; it was the voice of the Honseki.

It was a hot night and therefore difficult to sleep. Dancing and stamping his legs like a sumo wrestler in the dead of night, the Honseki revealed that he indeed had a mind of a three-year-old child.

(Adapted from Shinpan Izo Iburi den pp. 131-132 and Ten no jogi pp. 150–151)

• Next installment in this series: 64. Thoughts on Seeing the “Hermit in the Village”

*Note: This post has been revised since its original publication.