Japanese cults

So last night, I went to my friend Sarah's apartment for a small pity party because we both have been sick off and on and we just needed some serious chocolate/wine/bitter movie times. Well, we were walking back from the grocery store to her apartment, and we heard this random sound...

*clank* *clank* "Doyooooooobi" *clank* *clank*

Sarah and I froze not really sure what was going on... we looked toward the sound, and there was a crowd of people holding red flashlights walking slowly, almost zombie-like. So, terrified, we ran away from them... and as we came to the next intersection, in front of us were another group of chanters walking toward us. We instantly thought they were 'gaijin' (foreigner) hunters, so we bolted into some side street to hide. We peaked our head around the corner to see if they were walking down the main street, and they did.... however, they started walking toward our little side street... so we ran in the opposite direction, back to the main intersection, and we ran the whole way to her apartment. We were totally freaked out.

So, we google searched everything from cults to doyoobi but nothing. I called some Japanese friends and they were clueless, and she called her coworkers, and they didn't know either. So, we were getting ready to forget the doyooobis and enjoy our wine and chocolate, but we didn't have a corkscrew, so I decided to be the brave one and venture out to the conbini to get one. Well, the minute I turned the corner out of the apartment parking lot, there was a whole crowd of doyoobis chanting and coming after me. I instantly started running from them, and I wasn't the only one running! Two Japanese men started running too! So I definitely thought something menacing was afoot. 

I made it to the conbini no problem and used the corkscrew as protection on the walk back. 

WELL today we went shopping and ended up running into our friend Adam and his Japanese friends, and the Japanese friends explained that they were saying "hi no yoojin" (be careful of fire) and it's an end of the year thing. People go around towns chanting to remind people to turn off heaters and stoves so their houses don't burn down.

So as I was leaving Osaka today to go home, we joked about there being doyoobis in Mikunigaoka (where my apartment is) and sure enough, tonight, I heard the clinking of sticks outside my window, and I got my coat on and BOLTED outside to video tape the doooyobis.

They noticed me video taping them, so I had to stop.... but I was brave and asked them if I could clank their sticks... and one guy gave me his to clank together. I got to *clank* *clank* "hi no yoooojin" *clank* *clank*

I am 50% happy, and 50% nervous as to whether or not I joined a cult tonight.