Author: John D. (Page 94 of 202)

Awata Jinja festival

October 16, 2014 / John D.

The eye-catching lantern festival of Awata Jinja with Seiryu (blue dragon) at the front

Autumn is a busy time for festivals, and this weekend in Kyoto there were fascinating events at two of Kyoto’s less well-known shrines, Yasui Konpira-gu and Awata Jinja. Green Shinto has reported on the festivals before (see here and here). Last year we very much enjoyed the daytime event at Awata Jinja, when mikoshi (portable shrines) are paraded around the parish. This year, because of a typhoon, it had to be cancelled; however, the lantern parade the evening before was able to take place – and what a fascinating event it was!

Awata san is descended from the original clan that established the shrine

Awata Jinja in the east of Kyoto was once the home shrine of the Awata clan, who lived in the area in the early centuries of the first millennium. In the seventh century however they left for Nagoya, and amazingly some 1400 years later I met one of their descendants who had come from Nagoya specially for the event.

Amongst the many things I learnt from Awata san was that the festival was closely associated with the famous Gion Matsuri, based on neighbourhoods sponsoring constituent parts of the parade. In Awata’s case, these take the form of kenboko, long poles or halberds. There are 18 of them in all, but not all of them are taken around in the parade because there are not enough people with the skills and strength to support them.

According to the shrine literature, the Awata Festival started in 1001. Now there are two parts, the first of which is the parade of eye-catching lantern floats. This is a modern revival, based on records that show in Muromachi times there were 20 huge lanterns some 3.6 meters in length. Later in Edo times parishioners accompanied the mikoshi (portable shrines) with hundreds of lit lanterns.

The top of a kenboko halberd. Each is up to 8m long, weighing around 35kg, and carried by a single bearer.

Five years ago the head priest of the shrine initiated a new style of parade with the cooperation of Kyoto Art University, and the result has been a striking success which draws increasing attention from locals and tourists alike. The floats are in modern manga style and based on mythological and folklore characters related to Awata Shrine. Some reflect the local character, and some the Izumo myths about the shrine’s kami, Susanoo no mikoto and Onamuchi no mikoto (another name for Okuninushi).

The floats are not the only remarkable thing about the event. The opening ritual called Yowatari shinjji (crossing into night rite) is deeply and distinctly syncretic, with the Buddhist priests of Chion-in taking an active part. A temporary altar is set up in the street facing Chion-in before an iwakura (sacred rock), into which the kami descends. The altar is Shinto, but the priests of Chion-in take full part in the service. (Chion-in is the head of the popular Jodo Shu sect, which believes in salvation through the mercy of Amida Buddha.)

Like other shrines, Awata Jinja was part of a Shinto-Buddhist complex until the great separation of the religions at the beginning of the Meiji Era in 1868. The syncretic instincts it retains are now given public expression in the joint celebration with its Pure Land neighbour, a practice that apparently began some fifteen years ago. It shows how even today the bonds between the two religions remain strong, and for many they are indeed inseparable.

In looking back to the past, Awata Jinja may well be blazing a trail for the future…

The five Shinto priests of Awata Jinja sit facing the twelve Buddhist priests of Chion-in

A Shinto priest purifying the assembled Buddhist priests

A Shinto priest pays respects at the altar…

… as does the Buddhist head priest of Chion-in

Buddhist priests lined up to recite the Hannya sutra before the Shinto altar

One of the enshrined kami at Awata Jinja is Susanoo no mikoto, who slew an eight-headed Orochi monster (the sacred sword he extracted is represented by the vertical piece)

White fox representing an ancient legend associated with Awata Shrine, which hosts an Inari subshrine

The one-eyed Kozo, sponsored by Fresco, representing the smiths who once lived in the parish area and whose eyes may have been damaged by sparks

Karasu Tengu (Crow Monster) is a reference to folk hero Minamoto Yoshitsune, who grew up at Kurama and was trained by tengu in martial arts. When he escaped from Kyoto, he stopped off to pray at Awata Jinja.

Onamuchi is one of the kami worshipped at Awata Jinja. The kami is considered to be the same as Okuninushi no mikoto, the main deity of Izumo Taisha.

In mythology Onamuch turns into a snake, thought to refer to an ancient snake cult (snakes symbolised regeneration because of being able to slough off their skin)

The blue dragon (‘seiryu’) is a reference to the Chinese feng-shui symbol that rules the eastern hills where Awata Jinja stands. (In the north, a black serpent-turtle, in the south a red phoenix, and in the west the white tiger.)

The float of Shusse Ebisu is a reference to Awata Jinja’s possession of Japan’s oldest statue of Ebisu (the fisherman kami)

Akechi Mitsuhide was the traitor who killed Nobunaga, but was subsequently killed himself. His head is buried not far from Awata Jinja, and as a restless spirit (goryo) he is accompanied here by a komainu guardian to pacify his spirit.

Sheep are next year’s Chinese zodiac animal, representing group togetherness

A couple of lambs to accompany the sheep

Each area of the Awata parish has a base for meetings and displaying treasures. This is the one for Nakanomachi, reminiscent of the grander bases for the gorgeous floats of the Gion Festival.

The Nakanomachi altar and offerings

Maiko ‘do’ Inari

October 14, 2014 / John D.

A morning programme on KBS television this morning saw a pair of maiko visit Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto. Maiko are young trainee geisha in Kyoto, aged between 16 and 20. These days many are from distant parts of Japan and are unfamiliar with Kyoto and its tourist sights. I recently saw a film ‘Maiko wa Lady’ which was a musical (done by the director of Shall We Dance?) based on the idea in My Fair Lady of a young woman being trained in how to speak and behave properly. In the Japanese version it involved the maiko learning the Kyoto dialect and geisha manners.

In the tv programme the pair of maiko went up the main ‘sando’ (approach) of Fushimi Inari, passing through the tunnel of torii to the small area where fox faces are filled in on the shrine’s ema, before returning and exiting along the ‘urasando’, or back approach, which is lined with souvenir shops.

Maiko and Inari are a winning formula for a television programme. Maiko tend to be treated like film stars and photographed wherever they go. For its part, Fushimi Inari was recently voted the most popular attraction in Kyoto, outranking even Kiyomizu temple, and it has become a no. 1 destination for foreign visitors too.

“”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

For a detailed description of Fushimi Inari, see Cali and Dougill Shinto Shrines, p.101. For an illustrated visit, click here. For the Fushimi sai festival, see here. For Fushimi as Kyoto’s no. 1, see here.

The main approach to Inari leads up to the magnificent romon gate

One of the guardian foxes has a ball of wisdom

... the other has the key to the rice granary

After saying their prayers, the maiko headed up the hill behind the shrine...

through the tunnel of torii.....

... to the place where the ema are filled in with do- it-yourself pictures of foxes

There's a rock there (Omokaru ishi) which you have to lift up to see if it feels heavy or light

... if it's heavy it means bad luck, but if it feels light then you're in for good fortune

Afterwards the girls headed back to the exit where they stopped at a traditional rice cracker shop

The shop has been in existence for more than 100 years and specialises in fox-shaped rice crackers

The girls also bought fortune cookies

... and were delighted to find they had 'Daikichi' or Good luck. It brought their visit to a happy end, and next time they declared their intention to climb up to the top of Inari Hill

Harvest thanksgiving

October 13, 2014 / John D.

A miko shakes hot water from bamboo grass (sasa) over the surrounding area (all photos by McCullough)

Spring and autumn are busy times of year for Shinto, as festivals take place based around the rice cycle of ancient times. One such event took place this weekend in the charming village of Ohara, just north of Kyoto, and thanks go to David McCullough for providing information and photos. As a resident of the village, David is on the organising committee for religious events in the area.

The Yu no Shiki at his local shrine involves boiling water in the traditional style, as shown in the photo below. This is accompanied by a miko (shrine maiden) dancing for the pleasure of the kami in front of the hot water. Salt and saké are added to the boiling water, which is scattered around the shrine, presumably as a form of purification.

This is a wonderful example of localised rites handed down from ancient times, and it reminds me of the way that rice spirit is strewn on the ground in Korean shaman practice. In ancient Japan boiling water was used for divination, and in some cases steam created in front of an altar was used to induce the miko into spirit possession. ‘In later ages,’ says the Kokugakuin encyclopedia, ‘the boiling water was believed to possess the power of purification, and the ritual was combined with dance and transformed into a performing art.’

Adding salt to the water, symbolic of Shinto's stress on purity

Christianity-Shinto seminar

October 13, 2014 / John D.

The International Shinto Foundation will be holding a dialogue with Christianity at their 18th international seminar on Nov. 22 at St. Andrew’s Church in Minato-ku, Tokyo from 2 pm.

Academics and Christian priests will engage in the discussion, including some top names in the field of Shinto studies such as Michael Pye and John Breen (both resident in Kyoto, and both practising Christians).

Attendance is free of charge, and is restricted to 150 people. Applications by Oct 31. The seminar will be in Japanese, and further details can be had either by email (info@shinto.org) or fax (03-6805-7769).

Shinto memorial for seventeenth-century Christian martyrs (Senninzuka on Ikitsuki Island)

Roots

October 11, 2014 / John D.

Fukuoka City with Hakata Bay, gateway to Korea and the continent

Roots of rural development [and Amaterasu?] found in northern Kyushu
By Kevin Short / Special to The Japan News September 23, 2014

Northern Kyushu is a very exciting area for anyone interested in the roots of the Japanese countryside landscape. Hakata Bay and Karatsu Bay are well-protected harbors facing north toward the Tsushima Straight and the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. During the formative centuries of Japanese civilization, when the satoyama landscape was just developing, these bays were the entry ports for new people, ideas and technologies coming into Japan from Korea and the Asian mainland.

The modern form of rice came to Japan through northern Kyushu, where continental practices first establshed themselves

For example, sometime before 2,600 years ago, people arrived here with the tools and technologies necessary for irrigated rice cultivation. The oldest paddies in Japan are found at the Nabatake archeological site in Karatsu. Irrigated rice dramatically changed Japan’s landscapes. Marshes were drained and diked to form paddies, and streams diverted into a system of irrigation ponds, sluices and canals. Populations increased, and virgin forests were cut down and replaced by managed secondary habitats such as coppice woods, bamboo groves and thatch grass fields.

Thus was born the beautiful Japanese traditional countryside landscape, which can still be seen today in many areas. The great productivity of paddy rice, however, also revolutionized the regional socioeconomic fabric. Wealth could now be created and stored as surplus grain. Soon regional power centers, called kuni or koku, appeared. The capitals of these kuni were substantial towns surrounded by moats, walls and fences. Gradually the kuni grew in size and power. One of them, the Yamato, eventually evolved into the fledgling Japanese nation.

In the mid-third century, the Chinese kingdom of Wei sent an envoy to the Japanese islands. His observations were later recorded in the famous Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sangoku-shi, written around AD 280). The Wei ambassador described what appears to be a loose confederation, under the leadership of a kuni called Yamatai-koku, which was ruled by a mysterious shamaness-queen named Himiko. Unfortunately, the envoy’s travelogue is hard to interpret, and the actual location of Yamatai-koku has become one of the great controversies of early Japanese history.

A third-century bronze mirror, similar to those found in the burial mound

One of the confederation kuni mentioned in the text is the Ito-koku, said to be located to the north of Yamatai-koku, and to serve as a sort of port of entry for all goods and people coming into the Japanese islands. The location of this kuni can be clearly traced by historic place names, as well as by spectacular burials mounds and archaeological remains dating to precisely the time of the envoy’s visit.

The burial mounds, along with an interpretive museum, are located along the Zuibaiji River, with flows south from Hakata Bay into the northern foothills of the Sefuri Mountains. As a glamour-sensitive Celt I have long been enthralled by the idea of third-century shamaness-queens, and quickly planned a bicycle excursion to Itokoku.

The most spectacular display at the Itokoku History Museum is a superb reconstruction of a third-century burial mound that is thought to be that of the kuni’s queen. Grave goods buried along with her include a long sword, 40 bronze mirrors, strings of colorful glass beads, magatama comma-shaped jade earrings, and beautiful ear decorations in the style of third-century Chinese noblewomen. Interestingly, the mirror, sword and magatama jewels are the three symbols that Amaterasu the Sun Goddess is said to have passed on to her earthly descendents, the historic emperors and empresses of Japan.

Short is a naturalist and cultural anthropology professor at Tokyo University of Information Sciences.

The mirror, sword and magatama were adopted by the Japanese imperial family as their regalia

Blood moon rising

October 8, 2014 / John D.

Tonight's blood moon rises behind Kyoto's Eastern Hills

A special kind of eclipse is scheduled for tonight in Japan, in which the sun, moon and earth will align so that the earth’s shadow covers the moon and it turns a reddish colour. Cultures in the past feared eclipses and made up stories to explain them. Japan’s Rock Cave myth may be a case in point (an eclipse of the sun rather than the moon). As the article below indicates, there are plenty of other such myths around the world…

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Photograph by Colleen Pinski, Your Shot, National Geographic

Solar Eclipse Myths From Around the World (courtesy National Geographic)
People around the world, and through time, have come up with many a tale to explain the sun’s disappearance.
by Jane J. Lee, National Geographic, November 1, 2013

Viking sky wolves, Korean fire dogs, and African versions of celestial reconciliation—these are only some of the many ways people around the world, and through the ages, have sought to explain solar eclipses.

“If you do a worldwide survey of eclipse lore, the theme that constantly appears, with few exceptions, is it’s always a disruption of the established order,” said E. C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California. That’s true of both solar and lunar eclipses.

“People depend on the sun’s movement,” Krupp said. “[It’s] regular, dependable, you can’t tamper with it. And then, all of a sudden, Shakespearean tragedy arrives and time is out of joint. The sun and moon do something that they shouldn’t be doing.”

What that disruption means depends on the culture, and not everyone views an eclipse as a bad thing, said Jarita Holbrook, a cultural astronomer at the University of the Western Cape in Bellville, South Africa.

Some see it as a time of terror, while others look at a solar eclipse as part of the natural order that deserves respect, or as a time of reflection and reconciliation.

courtesy luc viator

Swallowing Fire
Many cultures explain eclipses, both solar and lunar, as a time when demons or animals consume the sun or the moon, said Krupp.

“The Vikings saw a pair of sky wolves chasing the sun or the moon,” said the Griffith Observatory astronomer. When one of the wolves caught either of the shining orbs, an eclipse would result. (Read “Vikings and Native Americans” in National Geographic magazine.)

“In Vietnam, a frog or a toad [eats] the moon or the sun,” Krupp added, while people of the Kwakiutl tribe on the western coast of Canada believe that the mouth of heaven consumes the sun or the moon during an eclipse. In fact, the earliest word for eclipse in Chinese, shih, means “to eat,” he said.

Eclipse Wizard
In order to combat this devouring, people in many cultures made noise in order to scare the demon or animal away, said Nancy Maryboy, president of the Indigenous Education Institute on San Juan Island, Washington. She’s currently working with NASA on bringing indigenous astronomy into mainstream awareness.

People banged pots and pans or played on drums to get whatever was swallowing the sun or the moon to go away, she explained. Krupp orchestrates a modern version of this during lunar eclipses on the front lawn of the Griffith Observatory. He dons a wizard’s outfit and leads the public on a march in front of the observatory while banging pots and pans to chase away whatever’s eating the moon. “We’re always successful,” Krupp said.

eclipse_total_espanek_10-27-2004-e1358526755212

This is what a total eclipse looks like. This is the total eclipse of October 27, 2004 via Fred Espenak of NASA.

Celestial Larceny
Other myths tell of deception and theft to explain the sun’s disappearance during an eclipse. Korean eclipse mythology involves fire dogs that try to steal the sun or the moon, said Krupp. On orders from a king, the mythical canines try their best to capture the fiery sun or the ice-cold moon. They always fail, but whenever they bite either orb, an eclipse results.

One of the more colorful stories in Krupp’s opinion involves the Hindu demon Rahu, who disguises himself as a god in order to steal a taste of an elixir that grants immortality. The sun and moon see what Rahu is up to, and they report his crime to the god Vishnu.

“Vishnu slices off his head before [the elixr] can slide past his throat,” said Krupp. As a consequence, Rahu’s head turns immortal, but his body dies. The demon’s head continues to move through the sky, chasing the sun and the moon out of hatred. “Every now and then he catches them and swallows them,” explained Krupp. But since Rahu has no throat, the sun and the moon fall out of the bottom of his head.

Nature and Reconciliation
“My favorite myth is from the Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin” in Africa, said Holbrook. In this myth, the sun and the moon are fighting during an eclipse, she said. The people “encourage the sun and the moon to stop fighting.” “They see it as a time of coming together and resolving old feuds and anger,” Holbrook said. “It’s a myth that has held to this day.”

A Navajo tradition regarding eclipses has also endured into the present day, notes Maryboy. The Navajo regard the cosmic order of the universe as being all about balance, she said. “Something like an eclipse is just part of nature’s law. You pause to acknowledge that that time is special, [and] you reflect on the cosmic order.”

Maryboy explained that some Navajo still observe traditions associated with an eclipse by staying inside with their family, singing special songs, and refraining from eating, drinking, or sleeping.

You’re not supposed to look at an eclipse either, she added. “They say if you look at the sun during an eclipse, it will affect your eyes later.” A person who looks at the sun goes out of balance with the universe, leading to problems down the road. The same goes for eating and drinking during this time.

Stages of the blood moon, 2010 (photo Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty)

Izumo wedding

October 6, 2014 / John D.

News that is sure to deepen the reputation of Izumo Taisha as a place to pray for ‘love connections’ (enmusubi). Tourism to one of Japan’s most alluring shrines will certainly be furthered too by the fact that the couple are living next door to it.

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Princess Noriko marries son of Izumo Taisha priest, relinquishes royal status
Japan Times via KYODO OCT 5, 2014

Courtesy Kyodo

IZUMO, SHIMANE PREF. – Princess Noriko on Sunday married the eldest son of the head priest of the Izumo Taisha grand shrine in Shimane Prefecture, thereby relinquishing her Imperial status.

The 26-year-old princess, a daughter of the late Prince Takamado, Emperor Akihito’s cousin, and Kunimaro Senge, 41, were wed at the shrine where his family has been in charge of Shinto rituals for generations, following a tradition adopted by female members of the Imperial family.

Twenty-one people, including the princess’ mother, Princess Hisako, elder sister, Princess Tsuguko, and younger sister, Princess Ayako, as well as the Senge’s parents and various relatives, attended the wedding.

About 300 people, including friends of the couple, are expected to attend a wedding reception in Matsue on Monday, while Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be among the guests at a dinner party to be held at a Tokyo hotel on Wednesday.

It was the first marriage involving an Imperial family member since the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Sayako, married an official of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2005. She is now known as Sayako Kuroda.

After the ceremony, Senge told reporters, “I was worried because a typhoon was approaching and am relieved that the wedding is over.” The groom said he hopes to live happily ever after in Izumo and his new wife agreed.

Courtesy Asahi

Princess Hisako said in a statement issued by the Imperial Household Agency that she hopes the couple’s new life will be filled with happiness and joy, and they will build a family in which members will be always smiling.

At the grand shrine, about 2,200 well-wishers gathered to celebrate the couple’s wedding, with many waving the Hinomaru flag. Atsuko Sugiyama, a 66-year-old housewife from Shizuoka Prefecture, said the bride and groom “make a perfect couple” and the late Prince Takamado “must be rejoicing” at their wedding.

Princess Noriko, now Noriko Senge, will start a new life in a house next to the shrine grounds with her husband, his parents and a younger brother, helping with rituals and festival events. The Imperial House Law stipulates a princess has to relinquish her status as a member of the Imperial family when she weds a commoner. The government has decided to bestow a one-time ¥106.75 million allowance on the couple.

The princess said she was introduced to Senge in April 2007, when she visited the shrine with her mother. She was a student at Gakushuin University at the time. The two deepened their relationship through bird-watching and tree-planting.

Senge served a as priest at shrines in Tokyo and Kyoto after graduating from Kokugakuin University. He has been assisting his father, Takamasa Senge, at Izumo Taisha since March 2005. The Senge family was friendly with Prince Takamado, a cousin to Emperor Akihito, and retains cordial ties with Princess Hisako. The prince died in 2002 during a game of squash.

The Izumo priest aims for the princess' heart (courtesy dramafever)