How to Read “Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens”
jigoku no kama no futa mo aku
Meaning of “Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens”
“Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens” means that during special times like New Year’s and Obon, even the terrifying hell takes a break. The demons rest, and the lid of the cauldron that boils sinners opens, temporarily stopping their suffering.
In other words, during the most sacred times of the year, even a harsh place like hell stops its activities. This shows just how special these periods are.
This proverb is used to emphasize the special nature of New Year’s and Obon. When someone says “Today is a day when even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens,” they’re expressing how sacred and special that day is.
Even today, people use this saying to explain the importance of year-end holidays. It reminds us that these are times when everyone should rest. By bringing up the extreme example of hell, the expression makes the specialness of these periods stand out.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of this proverb is deeply connected to traditional Japanese views of hell and annual customs.
Since Buddhism came to Japan, people have feared hell as a place where sinners suffer. The demons who torment sinners in hell were imagined to work continuously without rest all year long.
However, a folk belief emerged that even this harsh hell had exceptions.
The special nature of New Year’s is particularly important here. Since ancient times, Japanese people have regarded New Year’s as a sacred period. During this time, people had the custom of stopping all work and honoring gods and Buddha.
This way of thinking extended even to the world of hell. People came to believe that “even hell’s demons rest during New Year’s” and “the lid of hell’s cauldron opens, temporarily freeing sinners from their suffering.”
Similar thinking applied to the Obon period as well. There’s a belief that ancestral spirits return home during Obon. Folk traditions spread the idea that hell also closes for business during this time.
This proverb reflects the warm Japanese worldview that “even in the harshest places, there are times of rest and mercy.”
Usage Examples
- They say even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens during the year-end holidays, so I’m going to take a longer vacation this year
- Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens during New Year’s, so forget about work and relax
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens” contains a universal truth about the absolute necessity of rest in human society.
What’s interesting is that this proverb uses “hell” as its example—the harshest place imaginable. Hell has been depicted as a place where sinners suffer eternally. There should be no mercy or rest there.
Yet Japanese ancestors believed that even hell takes breaks. What does this mean?
It shows a deep understanding of human nature. No matter how harsh the situation, no matter how heavy the responsibility, rest is essential. Resting isn’t laziness—it’s a necessary condition for being healthy as individuals and as a society.
This proverb also expresses the concept of “sacred time.” Humans live within rhythms of ordinary and extraordinary time. If every day continues the same way, people become exhausted and lose their sense of meaning.
That’s why our ancestors had the wisdom to establish special days and sacred periods. These create breaks in daily life and allow us to reset mentally and physically.
Looking deeper, we can also see an idea of “equality” in this proverb. If hell’s demons rest, then we who live in this world certainly should rest too.
Regardless of status or position, everyone has the right to rest. There’s a democratic idea here.
When AI Hears This
When you think about hell thermodynamically, an extremely interesting structure emerges. Hell is “the most disordered state”—a place where entropy is at its maximum.
Entropy is a measure of “how scattered things are.” The messier a room gets, the more milk mixes into coffee, the more entropy increases. As a law of the universe, things always move toward disorder when left alone.
However, the phenomenon of hell’s cauldron lid opening during Obon seems like an exception to this law. Order is restored from the most disordered place, and the dead are released.
This is actually the same principle as a refrigerator. Inside a refrigerator is colder and more ordered than outside—locally lower entropy. This is possible because it uses external energy in the form of electricity.
Looking at the whole refrigerator, it releases heat from the back, so total disorder actually increases.
Hell during Obon works the same way. Because there’s “external energy input” in the form of Buddhist compassion, order temporarily recovers. Life works the same way—obtaining energy from food to maintain internal order.
So the opening of hell’s cauldron isn’t a miracle. With energy, local restoration of order is natural according to physical laws. This proverb unconsciously expresses the cold thermodynamic truth that even salvation requires an energy cost.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is “permission” and “courage” to take rest.
In modern society, many people suffer from the obsession that they must always be doing something. Emails arrive 24 hours a day, social media constantly updates, and work boundaries have become blurred.
In this environment, many people worry, “Is it okay for me to rest?”
But this proverb teaches us: if even hell rests, what’s wrong with you resting? Rest isn’t laziness—it’s a natural human right.
The important thing is not to feel guilty about resting. Rather, by resting appropriately, you’ll be able to perform better. Whether it’s year-end holidays, Obon, or even weekends, it’s fine.
By consciously setting aside “time to rest,” you can maintain mental and physical balance.
This proverb also shows the importance of society as a whole resting. Don’t just rest yourself—encourage those around you to rest too.
By saying “Even the lid of hell’s cauldron opens, so let’s rest well,” you can help create a healthier society.
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