Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Star or lunar mansion

Bōshuku

房宿ぼうしゅく

An illustration of Bōshuku created for this site
An original illustration made for this site.

A lunar mansion listed as one of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions (Nijūhasshuku). The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions are an old astronomical division that tracks which stars the moon appears near. Here, that division is introduced in the form of a Buddhist deity.

This introduction is based on materials from Shōhōin (Tobi Fudō). It is summarized within the scope of the beliefs and traditions those materials convey, and does not present explanations or customs common to all schools, shrines, and temples.

English pages are the site’s own translations of its Japanese pages. The sources cited are in Japanese. 日本語で読む

The name and role of Bōshuku

A lunar mansion listed as one of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions. Its Japanese name is introduced as "Soiboshi," and it is said to correspond to Pi Scorpii in the modern constellations. There is also a column of good and bad fortune, but this content is treated as a tradition of calendar notes.

Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院

Twenty-eight star divisions for reading the moon's course

The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions are an old astronomical division that tracks which stars the moon appears near. Seven mansions are assigned to each of four groups, east, north, west and south, which are linked with the Azure Dragon, the Black Tortoise, the White Tiger and the Vermilion Bird. They are divided differently from the Twelve Palaces, which divide the sun's path into twelve.

Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院

Star devotion preserved in calendars and images

The Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions have been connected with judging good and bad fortune in the calendar and with the worship of stars. Shōhōin states that the forms of the mansions are not fixed and shows images based on the Butsuzō Zui. They are introduced here as historical calendar notes and beliefs, not as definitive judgments of whether today's actions are lucky or unlucky.

Source: 飛不動尊 正宝院・飛不動尊 正宝院

Related kami and buddhas

Sources (in Japanese)