Saturday February 8, the current rakusu sewing cohort celebrated the Hari Kuyo Ceremony to honour the work of their bent and broken pins and needles.

Hari-Kuyō is a traditional Japanese ceremony to express gratitude for old and broken sewing needles by giving them a proper send-off. It is a ritual observed by those who sew, honoring the needles and pins who have served them well and comforting their spirits. It is a beautiful expression that emphasizes respect for inanimate objects and gratitude for tools that have served their purpose. It occurs in both Buddhist and Shinto temples and shrines.

Either before or during the ceremony, participants are invited to approach the altar, bow, and offer their bent, broken and unusable sewing needles and pins by inserting them into a block of tofu. During their offering they may silently give thanks to their needles and pins, and if they wish, reflect on the themes of rest, improvement, and consolation.

After Saturday's ceremony, pins and needles were removed from the tofu, which was then embedded deep within the Bright Stream compost pile. The needles and pins were deposited in a sharps container.

The ceremony is closely associated with Awashima-no-Kami, a deity enshrined at Awashima Shrine, known for protecting women, sewing and medical practices.