Kyoto's major Buddhist temple welcomes 100 new priests, including children

KYOTO - The head temple of one of Japan's largest Buddhist sects in Kyoto held a ceremony Tuesday admitting laypeople into the priesthood, with nearly half of the 100 participants at the minimum age of 9.

The Higashi Honganji temple of the Shinshu Otani sect holds the ceremony, known as tokudo, year-round, but August draws many child participants during their summer break. Of Tuesday's participants, 48 were 9, the age at which founder Shinran (1173-1262) of the Jodo Shinshu school of Buddhism was ordained and hence at which the sect allows entry.