PHOTOS -- NORTHERN MARIANAS ISLANDS

This is the Junior High School right on the beach in Saipan.  Working inside the cafeteria, 38 Japanese exchange students assembled 300 paper lanterns in about 2 hours.  Adults back in Japan had written on the paper either "NAMO AMIDA BUTSU" or "NAMO MYOHO RENGE KYO."

The assembled lanterns were lined up on the lawn next to the beach and the candle inside each one was lit.

A line of people -- both Japanese and Chamoros (Americans) -- then passed the lanterns out into the ocean where they were released to the vagaries of the currents,  floating out to sea as the sun set and the candles shone through.

A light moment earlier in the day when we compete to see who can bow lower to the other person.  Zensho and I are Dharma brothers, but he is also the younger brother and disciple of our teacher Kayaki kansho-sama.