scissor memorial service

About this event

The Scissors Memorial Service at Zojoji Temple is a unique Japanese tradition in which hairdressers, tailors, and craftspeople offer up their worn-out scissors to be ritually cremated and prayed over, expressing gratitude for the tools that have sustained their work. The ceremony embodies the Japanese concept of "monozukuri" — the soul invested in craftsmanship — and the Shinto-Buddhist belief that objects take on a spirit of their own through use. A touching and distinctly Japanese expression of respect for the tools of one's trade.