We’ve all heard about divorce parties but have you ever heard of a divorce flushing? Apparently women in Japan are flocking to a temple where they can literally ‘flush’ their ex-husbands out of their lives.
According to reports, hundreds of women are undertaking pilgrimages to an ancient Buddhist temple in Japan that is known as the “divorce temple.”
Mantokuji Temple in the small town of Ojimamachi is credited with helping women to get rid of bad-relationship karma. How does it do this? Well it offers women access to a sacred toilet. Yes seriously.
Once inside the time, women write down their wish to severe any remaining ties they still have to their ex-hubby and then flush their wish down the toilet in order to have their prayers answered.
The symbolic act of flushing the toilet is said to make people feel better
Japan’s divorce rate has quadrupled over the past 50 years and during this time Matokuji has become a beacon of hope for thousands of unhappy wives.
In Japanese tradition, it is believed that spiritual gods exist in absolutely everything – even the toilet. So the idea is to gain the blessing of Kawaya No Kami, the deity who lives in the toilet at the temple.
The temple itself has always been associated with helping women in need. Until a century ago, the temple offered refuge to women who wanted to leave bad marriages but couldn’t because only their husbands could grant them a divorce.
While flushing their marriage woes down the toilet may be a more symbolic act, we reckon it’s got to feel a little bit satisfying if nothing else.
