January 25 is Hatsu-Tenjin, the first special day of the new year at Tenmangu shrines, which honor the god of learning.
On this day, shrines such as Kameido Tenjin and Dazaifu Tenmangu hold a truly unique and witty ritual.
It is called Usokae (the bullfinch exchange).
It is a Shinto rite in which people trade carved wooden birds to settle the "lies" they may have told without realizing it over the past year.
🐦 The Bird That Eats Your Lies
Uso is the name of a real small bird, the bullfinch.
In Japanese, the bird's name, uso, is pronounced exactly the same as the word for a lie, uso.
From this play on words, a belief was born:
"Let this bird eat up all the bad lies I've told, and turn them into truth."
Getting a Carved Wooden Bird
On the day, many visitors buy carved wooden bullfinches.
By returning last year's old bird to the shrine and receiving a new one, they carry out a positive transformation: "turning last year's bad luck into a lie, and making this year a lucky one."
Every human being tells small lies and makes mistakes.
Rather than blaming yourself, you reset with a humorous ritual and greet spring with a lighter heart. Here lies a piece of Japanese wisdom for mental wellness.
