Every year on January 3rd, Yoda-dera Temple, the inner sanctum of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, holds its New Year goma fire ritual. Goma is one of the most emblematic practices of the Shingon school, tracing its origins to ancient Indian fire offerings. By offering items to the flames and chanting mantras, the ritual symbolizes the burning away of worries, karmic obstacles, and impurities, transforming them into purification and the power of prayer.

We arrived at Yoda-dera around noon that day. The goma altar in front of the main hall had already been set up, and neatly stacked goma sticks waited quietly to be lit. Just after one o’clock, the mountain resounded with the low, distant sound of conch shells. Yamabushi in ceremonial robes blew the conches as they slowly walked toward the main hall, then chanted the Heart Sutra to Yakushi Nyorai, opening the ceremony.

After the sutra chanting, the monks and practitioners moved to the goma altar, marked the ritual boundary, established the protective enclosure, and performed rites facing the four directions to invite Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and guardian deities to descend and protect the site. As mantras and sutras rose and fell, the goma sticks were thrown into the fire in sequence. The flames grew stronger and the smoke shot into the sky, as if carrying the world’s wishes and prayers heavenward.

When all the goma sticks had burned away, the ritual opened for public worship. Visitors circled the goma altar in order, letting their bodies and clothing be touched by the smoke rising from the flames. The smoke is said to ward off misfortune and purify body and mind, bringing peace and health for the new year. Surrounded by swirling smoke, people pressed their hands together in silence, entrusting their wishes to the lingering warmth.