HŌMA – The Sacred Fire Ritual

March 12, 2026 | 10:30am to 12:00pm

Homa (the sacred fire ritual) originated in ancient India and, through the transmission of Esoteric Buddhism, its lineage traveled far to the East, eventually reaching Japan. There, it was carefully preserved and developed as one of the central ritual practices of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism.
In Japan, four main types of goma (Homa) rituals are performed. Among them, the most commonly practiced is the Sokusai-hō, the rite for pacifying misfortune and bringing peace and well-being. Fire rituals are also dedicated to figures such as Yakushi Nyorai (the Medicine Buddha) and Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion).

Yet above all, the ritual is most famously associated with Fudō Myōō, the “Immovable Wisdom King.” Revered as a powerful protector who cuts through ignorance and obstacles, Fudō Myōō sits at the heart of Japanese fire ceremonies. Throughout the year, temples across Japan conduct goma rituals in his presence, as practitioners offer wooden prayer sticks into the sacred flames—symbolically burning away karmic hindrances and inner delusion.

The spiritual benefits (go-rieki) attributed to Fudō Myōō—protection, purification, courage, and the fulfillment of heartfelt aspirations—are believed to continue to this day. For many participants, the ritual is not merely symbolic; it is a living encounter with transformative wisdom, experienced through the dynamic power of fire.

Performed by:
Junyu Yagishita is a Japanese priest of Shingon Buddhism, the Esoteric Buddhist tradition founded in Japan over a millennium ago. He undertook rigorous monastic training at temples in Kyoto and Osaka, and on sacred Mount Kōya—the spiritual center of Shingon Buddhism—he studied under distinguished masters. There, he focused especially on the Vajraśekhara Sūtra (Kongōchō-kyō) and the profound teachings of Yoga Tantra.
His spiritual journey extends beyond Japan. He received teachings and several tantric empowerments from His Holiness Dalai Lama. From Nyichang Rinpoche of BuddhaPada, he received instruction in Dzogchen, the Great Perfection teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.
He also invited Kathok Getse Rinpoche to Japan and received empowerments from him on seven separate occasions. Through these connections, he has cultivated deep spiritual ties with the living traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
For more than thirty years, he has continuously lectured on Buddhist philosophy and foundational doctrine at the head temple in Kyoto, sharing both the intellectual depth and the contemplative spirit of the tradition with generations of students.
Bridging Japanese Esoteric Buddhism and Tibetan Vajrayāna, Junyu Yagishita represents a rare meeting of lineages—rooted in ancient ritual and scholarship, yet open to the wider Buddhist world.

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