(142) Takuhatsu

In a temple that employs a cleaning crew on a daily basis, begging for alms is obviously unnecessary. Still, because Kasuisai is a training temple, trainees do go out and wander in the area begging for their daily food; when they do they wear these straw hats and hang these bags around their necks. The practice is called takuhatsu (托鉢) and you can see it even in central areas of Tokyo.   

(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr)