Thank you for your comments. Please visit the Higashi Honganji temple. I’m sure someone can help you either at the visitors center or the gift shop.

There are many different sizes and shapes of nenju, for example, some using rare scented wood from India, different color beads, beads in the shape of skulls, tassles or plain cords, etc. Mostly they are just a matter of personal preference. For priests, certain nenju styles are used depending on the type of service. In Jodo Shinshu at Higashi Honganji, for example, there’s a long nenju with half black beads and half clear or white beads, with long tassles, that’s used for formal and elaborate ceremonies, while a smaller nenju with all black beads is carried for simple or “light” services. Some shops offer a way to put a favorite picture inside the main big bead, so you can look through a hole and see a picture of a newly married couple for instance. If you ever go to Japan, you can visit shops specializing in nenju usually located near large temples, such as across the street from Higashi Honganji’s mother temple in Kyoto. Prices vary from a few dollars to more than a thousand of dollars. Also, different Buddhist denominations often have a certain preferred style of beads. For example in Jodo Shinshu, there’s usually a big bead at the bottom, and two smaller matching beads spaced equally apart, separated by a bunch of medium size beads, tied together by a cord that hangs down at the bottom. Chinese beads might have all the same size beads and no cord hanging down.

Thanks for your comment. Your message will be forwarded to Rev. Nakura.