Hatsuyakushi for Reiwa 6 Yesterday, the annual Yakushi event “Hatsuyakushi” took place and drew many worshippers. Around noon, cars lined up in the Hinata Yakushi bus stop parking lot and along Yakushi Forest Road, making passing very difficult. After turning back, I finally found a spot in the Bōchū parking lot and walked from the temple gate toward the main hall. An elderly man coming down stopped me with the words, "You’re late getting here; there’s no more rice porridge left," which made me pause. But seeing is believing. Since I had already started climbing, I hurried on. When I entered the main hall, they were indeed cleaning the rice-porridge cauldrons, so sadly I could not receive any this year. Still, even after the porridge distribution ended, worshippers kept coming, and Hinata Yakushi enjoyed a lively New Year.