Showing posts with label August. Show all posts
Showing posts with label August. Show all posts

5/08/2012

AUGUST calendar

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. Kigo Calendar - the 12 Months .

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August - hachigatsu 八月 





.................... 01 .................................................................................

. Hassaku 八朔 (はっさく) Hassaku day .
first day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar

. Sansa Bon-odori dance in Morioka さんさ踊り .   

. Emancipation Day - Trinidad and Tobago .


.................... 02 .................................................................................

. moxabustion on August second 後の二日灸 .

. Memorial Day for Uejima Onitsura 上島鬼貫 .


.................... 03 .................................................................................

. Akita Lantern Festival 秋田かんとう祭 .

. Day of Honey 蜂蜜の日 hachi mitsu .


.................... 04 .................................................................................

. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine Festival 北野天満宮 Kyoto .


.................... 06 .................................................................................

. Hiroshima-ki 広島忌 Hiroshima Memorial Day .

haro 八六の日 86 Hallo Day
goroawase. ha(chi) ro(ku)


.................... 07 .................................................................................

. Mitarashi Purification Ritual at Shimogamo 御手洗会 .

. Nairobi Bomb Day, Kenya 1998 .


. Referendum Day, Kenya August 2010 .


. Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Day, India .


.................... 07/08 .................................................................................

. autumn begins 立秋 risshuu .


.................... 08 .................................................................................

. Memorial day for Yanagita Kunio 柳田國男 .


.................... 09 .................................................................................

. Nagasaki-ki 長崎忌 Nagasaki Memorial Day.

. Memorial Day for Tan Taigi 炭太祇 .


.................... 12 .................................................................................

. Perseid Meteor Showers .


.................... 13 - 15 .................................................................................

. O-bon お盆 Obon Ancestor Festival.



.................... 15 .................................................................................

. hachigatsu juugonichi 八月十五日 August 15 .

. shuusen kinenbi 終戦記念日 End of War Day .

. Mishima Shrine Festival 三島祭 .


. Independence Day, India 1947 .

. Feast of the Assumption 被昇天祭 .


.................... 16 .................................................................................

. Kyoto Gozan Okuribi 京都五山送り火
fire for seeing off the souls after O-Bon .


. Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) .


.................... 19 .................................................................................

. Haiku Day 俳句の日 HA-I-KU, Haiku no Hi .



.................... 21 .................................................................................

. Senior Citizen's Day, India .



.................... 22 .................................................................................

. The Immaculate Heart of Mary 聖母聖心祭 .


.................... 23 .................................................................................

. Shosho 処暑 Limit of heat .
one of the 24 solar sections 二十四節気

. Memorial Day for Saint Ippen 一遍上人 .
Yugyoo-Ki 遊行忌 ”Memorial Day of the Travelling Saint”


.................... 24 .................................................................................

. Jizobon, Jizo Bon 地蔵盆 .


.................... 25 .................................................................................

. Memorial Day for Oota Dookan 太田道灌 .
Ota Dokan, first builder of Edo Castle



.................... 26 .................................................................................

. kyuu Tanabata 旧七夕 Star Festival .
according to the lunar calendar
in some places on August 7.



.................... 31 .................................................................................

. Memorial Day for Maruyama Okyo 円山 応挙 .





. WKD : August - a Haiku Month .


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. WKD : World Days in August .


. Ceremonies, festivals, rituals - August .

. Memorial Days of Famous People - August .


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For the worldwide approach to kigo,
we must differentiate between the "Haiku Season" and the natural phenomenon and human activites occuring at a certain season at a certain place.

To complicate our endeavor, we also have to deal with the Asian Lunar Calendar and the 24 seasons (periods), which were applied in Japan before the introduction of the Western Calendar, when kigo were already used in Japanese poetry.

Study the details here, please:


. The Japanese Haiku Calendar.

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. WKD : the complete SAIJIKI list .

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1/01/2012

Itsukushima Shrine Miyajima

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Sanki Daigongen 三鬼大権現 . see below
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Itsukushima Shrine (Itsukushima Jinja)

***** Location: Miyajima, Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Observance


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Explanation

CLICK for more photos

厳島神社

quote
A Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly known as Miyajima 宮島) in the city of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan.
The shrine complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of Susano-o no Mikoto, Shinto deity of seas and storms and brother of the great sun deity, Amaterasu (tutelary deity of the Imperial Household). Because the island itself has been considered sacred, in order to maintain its purity commoners were not allowed to set foot on Miyajima through much of its history. In order to allow pilgrims to approach, the shrine was built like a pier over the water, so that it appeared to float, separate from the land, and therefore existed in a liminal state between the sacred and the profane.

The shrine's signature red entrance gate, or torii, was built over the water for much the same reason. Commoners had to steer their boats through the torii before approaching the shrine.

The first shrine buildings were probably erected in the 6th century, and the shrine has been destroyed many times, often by typhoons.
In 1168, Taira no Kiyomori 平清盛 had it rebuild.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


I visited many times, is is truely an amazing place.
The reflections of the shrine in the water on a bright evening or moonlit night are superb.

There are many shrines of this name in other parts of Japan.



source : facebook - Japan Dream


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. The White Shrine Horse at Miyajima 宮島白馬   

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kigo for the New Year

Itsukushima jinja no toshikoshi sai 厳島神社の年越祭
(いつくしまじんじゃのとしこしさい)
Crossing into the new year at Itsukushima shrine


January 6
One of the three great ceremonies at the shrine.


People involved in farming come to the shine to pray for a good harvest.
Ritual dance performance and later a feast and talks about farmwork and crop prices held.

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Itsukushima no on yumi hajime
厳島の御弓始 (いつくしまのおんゆみはじめ)
first shooting with bow and arrow at Itsukushima


kisha 鬼射(きしゃ)"hitting the demon"

onyumi shinji 御弓神事(おんゆみしんじ)
honorable ceremony of the bow

On January 20



The target with the character 鬼, called the "demon target" 鬼的 and shot at with bow and arrow to prevent evil for the coming year.

Now held at the shrine Oomoto Jinja at Miyajima
宮島の大元神社 Omoto shrine ceremony
Oomotesai 大元祭.


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Itsukushima Shrine New Year Ceremonies
Jan 1
御神衣献上式 Go Shin-i Kenjo-shiki Ceremony (offering new clothes to deities)
歳旦祭 Saitan-sai Festival Ceremony starts at noon. Bugaku traditional dance performance starts at 5:30am.
Jan 2
二日祭り Futsukasai Ceremony 09:00 Bugaku performance 13:00
Jan 3
元始祭 Genshisai Ceremony 09:00 Bugaku performance 13:00
Jan 5
地久祭 (Chikyuusai) Chikyusai Ceremony and Bugaku performance 05:30 Includes Batoh (Sunrise Dance) only performed once a year on this day.

source : eventful.com/events



source : fb
cap for bugaku dance


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kigo for late summer

Itsukushima matsuri 厳島祭 (いつくしままつり)
Itsukushima festival
Itsukushima kangensai 厳島管絃祭(いつくしまかんげんさい)
17th day of the sixth lunar month.
Now on the 17th day of July.

The main festival of the shrine.

CLICK for more photos

Special gozabune ships are made for the procession toward the gate in the water.

Bugaku dance performance and gagaku tradtional music are part of the festival.


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kigo for early autumn

Itsukushima Ennen sai
厳島延年祭(いつくしまえんねんさい)
Ennen Festival at Itsukushima

Ennen "life prolonging" dance performances are held at many shrines in Japan.



tamatori matsuri 玉取祭 (たまとりまつり)
"festival of grabbing the bead"

On the 14th day of the seventh lunar month, now in mid-August on a Sunday of high tide.
On a boat in front of the main hall is a boat with a large rosary and young men of the island try to grab a bead of about 20 cm diameter for good luck.


clay bell replica of the TAMA bead

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kigo for early winter

Itsukushima chinza sai
厳島鎮座祭 (いつくしまちんざさい)
Shrine dedication festival
oshimeshi, o shime shi 御燈消(おしめし)"turning off the lights"

yamaguchi toji no matsuri 山口閉の祭(やまぐちとじのまつり)
"closing down mountain roads" festival
After the shrine is closed down for the winter, it will be re-opened the next year for "openening the mountain road" 山口開. Loggers are not allowed to go to the forest and cut down trees during the closed time.

On the ten days from the first day of the wild boar in the tenth lunar month to the day of the monkey in the eleventh lunar month.
Nowadays on the first day of the monkey in November.

During these 10 days it is not allowed to make a loud noise on the island.
Things that produce lound and high noises are covered with blankets to keep them quiet. The lids of rice cookers had to be closed especially carefully.
On the last day, the day of the monkey, all lanterns and lights on the island are turned off and rituals are carried out in the dark.

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Miyajima in the snow


夏の月 Summer Moon at Miyajima
- reference : Tsuchiya Koitsu  土屋光逸 (1870-1949) -


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quote
Sato Masato writes:
Due to belief in the "Three Female Kami" (sanjoshin) of Munakata at Itsukushima Jinja, the Itsukushima kami was worshipped as a protector of fishermen and boats.
Itsukushima is also known as a "military kami" (gunshin), as seen in this passage from the Ryōjin hishō:
"To the west of the [Ōsaka] checkpoint (seki) is the kami of the battlefield, Ichibon Chūsan (Kibitsu Shrine) and Itsukushima in Aki ..."
After becoming governor of Aki (Aki no kami 安芸守) in 1146, Taira no Kiyomori (1118~1181) often visited the shrine. Upon Kiyomori's recommendation, Goshirakawa-in and Kenshunmon-in visited the shrine in the third month of 1174, and Takakura Jōkō visited twice.

At the end of the Heian Period Itsukushima was worshipped by the entire Heike clan, and in 1168 the shrine's shaden structure was restored and expanded. This connection to the Heike clan may have originated in the trade and shipping in the Inland Sea that had flourished since the days of Taira no Tadamori (Kiyomori's father).

Due to Heike devotion, the Heike Nōkyō scrolls 平家納経 (a National Treasure) were originally donated to the shrine in 1164. In the medieval period Itsukushima was supported by the Ōuchi and Mōri clans, and the Shingon temple Suishōji 水精寺 became the shrine's administrative temple.

Also a legend began that Kūkai founded (kaisan) the temple Misen. The "original Buddhist deity" (honji) of Itsukushima was believed to be the Eleven-faced Kannon (Ekadasamukha Avalokitesvara) or Mahâvairocana.
Among commoners, a cult of Ebisu-gami developed, and Itsukushima was also worshipped by fishermen and merchants.
source : Kokugakuin University. 2006



. Shrine Munakata Taisha 宗像大社 .
Fukuoka

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The Deer are seen as messengers of the deity of Miyajima and roam freely, sometimes as a nuisance for the tourists.

Legend knows that when Mori Motonari and Sue Harukata fought their battle in 1555, Harukata had his troops near the shrine, while Motonari landed on the other side of the island, trying to get over the mountains and through the dense wild forest to make a surprize attack.
His troups almost lost their way in the dark night, but then a deer showed them the small path.
(The deer was MAYBE the priest of the shrine, disguised as a deer, trying to help his friend and sponsor Motonari.)


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way


Miyajima hariko 宮島張子 papermachee dolls


CLICK for more images !

. Regional Folk Toys from Japan .


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. WASHOKU
Anagomeshi あなごめし Rice with eel

Station lunchbox from Miyajima
The great rice paddle shamoji in Miyajima 宮島しゃもじ



The island is also famous for its red maple leaves in autumn.

CLICK for more photos

. momiji manjuu もみじ饅頭
rice dumplings in the form of red maple leaves
 

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Festivals calendar at Miyajima

Most rituals are accompanied by bugaku dance on the stage above the water.
厳島神社舞楽

CLICK for more photos


. . . . . January
Shin-i Kenjo-shiki Ceremony (offering new clothes to deities)Saitan-sai Festival
Futsukasai
Genshisai
Chikyusai
Momotesai

. . . . . February
Setsubun Festival
Miyajima Oyster Festival

. . . . . March
Memorial Service for Kitchen Knives
Kiyomori Shrine Festival
Miyajima Hina Doll Presentation

. . . . . April
Hiwatari . Walking Over Fire Ceremony
Toukasai
Satsuki Festival

. . . . . May
Memorial Service for Empress Suiko

. . . . . June
Japan's Ancient Martial Arts Performance
Kobo Daishi's Birthday Celebration
Great Benzaiten Festival of Itsukushima
(Daiganji Temple)
. Itsukushima Hime 厳島姫命
as Benten, Benzaiten 弁財天
 


. . . . . July
Seven Gods of Fortune Festival (Daishoin Temple)
Itsukushima Shrine Kangen Festival

. . . . . August
48,000-day Kannon Festival
Miyajima Floating Fireworks Festival
Kinseki Jizo - son Festival (Tokujuji Temple)

. . . . . September
Tanomosan (small boats filled with dolls and fruit that are set adrift from Itsukushima Shrine to sail toward the Otorii Gate.)
Mantoo-e . candle light memorial

. . . . . October
Akiyo Tomoeda Noh Performance
Kikkasai
Sanno Shrine Festival
Tea Dedication Ceremony, Omote Senke

. . . . . November
Fudo Myo-o Festival, including
Walking Over Fire Ceremony (Daiganji Temple)
Maple Festival . Momiji Matsuri

. . . . . December
Tenchosai
Chinka-sai (Festival for prevention of fire disaster)

http://www.miyajima.or.jp/english/event/calendar01.html



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HAIKU


Matsuo Basho wrote (Nozarashi Kiko)



年暮れぬ 笠きて草鞋はきながら
. toshi kurenu kasa kite waraji hakinagara .


wearing my travelers hat
and my straw sandals
the year comes to an end

(Other sources place this haiku in 1684,
when he returned to his home village in Iga Ueno.)



source : 宮島かわら版


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行く春や経収めにと厳島
yuku haru ya kyoo osame ni to Itsukushima

spring is passing -
I bring copied sutras
to Itsukushima


Natsume Soseki 夏目漱石


Heike Nokyo 平家納経
The famous sutras copied by the Heike

CLICK for more photos


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Related words

***** WKD : Copying sutras (shakyoo)


. Hiroshima Prefecture Festivals  

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. Tengupedia - 天狗ペディア - Tengu ABC-List.

Sankiboo 三鬼坊 Sankibo, Sanki-Bo
厳島三鬼坊 Itsukushima



Sanki Daigongen 三鬼大権現
The local people call them 三鬼さん Sanki San.
Sanki Daigongen are three fierce guardian gods of 弥山 Mount Misen.

- 追帳鬼神 Tsuicho Kishin :福徳 Good Fortune - 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai
- 時眉鬼神 Jibi Kishin:知恵 Wisdom - 虚空蔵菩薩 Kokuzo Bosatsu
- 魔羅鬼神 Mara Kijin :降伏 Surrender - 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O



- - - - - Amulet bell of Sanki-Bo


With the separation of Buddhism and Shinto during the Meiji period, they were moved to the 三鬼堂 Sankido Hall from their shrine 御山神社 Miyama Jinja.


source : amakara tosan
- 徳、智恵、降伏 -

大小の天狗 Big and small Tengu, long-nosed goblins, are their servants. Many people visit here to pray for the happiness of their family and the success of their business.
The first Prime Minister of Japan, 伊藤博文 Ito Hirobumi is said to have been an earnest devotee. He contributed a large amount to construct the climbing path.
A special hall is dedicated to this deities:
Sankodoo 三鬼堂 Sankido



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10/26/2011

Suhotei Yamaguchi

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Suhotei Festival (Suppootei matsuri )

***** Location: Yamaguchi
***** Season: Early Autumn
***** Category: Observance


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Explanation

Suppootei Matsuri 数方庭祭 (すっぽうていまつり)
Suhotei Festival

also read
zuootei ずおうてい / suhooden すほうでん / suhootei すほうてい

at the shrine Iminomiya Jinja in Yamaguchi
忌宮神社, 山口県下関市長府宮の内町1-18

August 7 to 13



This is the oldest shrine in the city of Chofu.
Chofu is about 8 km northeast of Shimonoseki.
The shrine was built in 646, when the local government was set up in this region.
The whole region was under the governance of the Mori family of Yamaguchi for a long time to come in the Edo period.




This is the most important and remarkable festival in Chofu town.

Rituals are held every night during the festival in August. The participants balance long bamboo poles of more than 20 meters with attached banners around a large stone (demon stone 鬼石 oni ishi ) in the shrine compound.


source : iminomiya.htm

Accompanying musicians with drums and gongs provide the rythm and sound, while the carriers shout "Wawassei, wawassei" ワワセイ ワワセイ.


quote
This "Jinja" has a long history. It is said that the historic shrine was built around 200 A.D. by the legendary Empress Jingû to commemorate the death of her husband, Emperor Chûai.


Innomiya Jinja hosts a unique festival "Suhôtei Matsuri" which was designated by Yamaguchi Prefecture as intangible cultural property. Every year, between August 7 and 13, local people gather at the shrine to walk around a giant stone with very tall bamboo labrums attached to their body. This year, about 200 people participated the festival (besides a lot of spectators) and the tallest labarums was 30m high, and weighed 100kg...

... the matsuri also dates back to the 2nd century. The curious rite is said to imitate the victory dance after central Japan-based Yamato government's win against allied forces of south Japan-based Kumaso and then eastern Korea-based Silla, which attacked from the air, riding black cloud.
The emperor Chûai played the central role in that war, legend says. People used to use pikes and fauchards, but they were replaced by bamboo at the end of 18th century by order of the feudal lord.
source : kyokuyoshipyard.com


The land of Kumaso 熊襲 today Kumamoto Prefecture.
古代九州西南部 -〈熊曾の国〉

. Kumamoto Prefecture - 熊本県 and haiku .

- quote
... a new post “New Research on the Kumaso, Hayato” in which it says the Austronesian theory of origin for Hayato and Kumaso is wrong. The poster writes that “the Yamato who were genetically linked to the Kumaso and Hayato invaded Kyushu to expand their empire”.
Citing Dr. Ryu Otani’s book “The Kumaso”, we read:
“There is absolutely no evidence, genetically, to show the Kumaso or Hayato were separate in lineage or language from the rest of Shikoku or Honshu. They were simply the indigenous people of Kyushu. Both the Kumaso and Hayato inhabited areas all over the island of Kyushu… The Kumaso were generally highlanders and the Hayato were generally lowland dwelling people. Kumaso and Hayato were brothers of the Yamato.” The blog also says that “Archaeology and testing show a definite link to Hayato and Kumaso being influenced at the same times as the rest of Japan’s archipelago by the Sinic people of China and Korea. … It also shows the Hayato and Kumaso were genetically linked to the rest of Japan, barring the Ainu of Hokkaido who are actually the sole people of Japan that are genetically different from the rest of the Japanese people. (92)

- source : heritageofjapan.wordpress.com


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Main festivals at Iminomiya Shrine:
January 15th: Bushasai Festival
March 28th: Sanshu-sai Festival
April 3rd: Island Festival
August 7th-13th: Suhoteisai Festival
November 3rd: Mikka-sumo
December 7th-15th: Oimi-sai Festival

source : www.iminomiya-jinjya.com


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source : encoo.fc2web.com

Ema votive tablet for Shichi-Go-San
Festival for Children in November



kootsuu anzen 交通安全ステッカー Amulet for traffic safety



kaiun yakuyoke 開運厄除御守 for good luck
and avoiding evil influence





hada mamori 肌守り amulet to keep on your skin
for protection from evil

MORE amulets from this shrine
source : iminomiya-jinjya.com


. Amulets and Talismans from Japan . 


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Festivals of Shimonoseki Town
source : www.city.shimonoseki


Summer Events in Shimonoseki
source : pref.yamaguchi.lg.jp


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU




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Related words

***** . Shichigosan (shichi go san) Seven-Five-Three Festival  


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10/25/2011

Atago Shrines

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. 愛宕権現 伝説 Legends about Atago Gongen .
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Atago Shrines in Japan

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Observance


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Explanation

Mount Atago Yama 愛宕山 / 阿多古 is a mountain of about 920 meters in the North-West of Kyoto. It is the location of a shrine and temple in this name.
Atago shrine in Kyoto is the most important one.



There are various mountains, shrines and temples of this name in other parts of Japan, many in Western Japan.

The Atago shrine in Itami, Hyogo, is especially related to Haiku.



Atago Gongen (愛宕権現) is a Japanese kami believed to be the local avatar (Gongen) of Buddhist bodhisattva Jizo Bosatsu.
The cult originated in Shugendō practices on Mount Atago in Kyoto, and Atago Gongen is worshiped as a protector against fire.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. Jizoo Gongen 地蔵権現 Jizo Gongen .
from Okayama

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. 愛宕権現 伝説 Legends about Atago Gongen .

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Atago Jinja 愛宕神社  Atago shrines

This one is a Shinto shrine on Mount Atago, Kameoka, to the northwest of Kyoto.
Enshrined is Atago Gongen who protects Kyoto from fire.
Shugendō practices and a place for worship are known from the eighth century.The late-Kamakura period Honden has been designated an Important Cultural Property.


Atago Jinja is the head of nine hundred Atago shrines throughout Japan.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !


The mountain is the first to receive the morning sun in Kyoto.

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As a shrine dedicated to the deity of fire,
they sell amulets for fire prevention and protection:



hi no yoojin 火迺要慎 "beware of fire"



These amulets are placed in the kitchen and can be found in most homes and kitchens in Kyoto.


The white wild boar 白猪 (shirai, shira-i) is a messenger of the fire deity.
It is celebrated on the forth day of the second month.




More photos and amulets on the Japanese HP of the shrine:
source : kyoto-atago.jp

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Akechi Mitsuhide 明智光秀

In the year 1582 in May, shortly before his coup against Oda Nobunaga, his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide 明智光秀 spent some time at this shrine. He was with a group composing renku, linked verse. The first poem was by Mitsuhide, the second one by a priest from temple Itokuin, Gyooyuu Hooin 行祐法印, the third by the master renku poet Satomura Jooha 里村紹巴 (1525 - 1602).
There were altogether 9 people, composing 100 verse, called the
100 verses from Atago 愛宕百韻 Atago Hyakuin.
The paper with all the verses was offered to the deities in respect.

Here is the famous first poem by Mitsuhide

ときは今あめが下しる五月哉
toki wa ima ame ga shitashiru satsuki kana

the time is now
rain falls now
in the fifth lunar month


(This can be read as a pun:
土岐は今 天が下治る 皐月かな
Toki is the name of the family of Mitsuhide. The meaning could be
"Toki shall now rule the realm under the sky."

Reference : kyoto-atago.jp akechi


. badarai no mitsuhide 馬盥の光秀 .
a famous Kabuki play
- - - badarai, umadarai 馬盥 basin for washing a horse


More about the coup of Mitsuhide at Honnoji
. Wikipedia .


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In temple Saikyo-ji 西教寺, there are many tombstones for Akechi Clan people and a monument of a haiku of Matsuo Basho. When Basho stayed in the house of his desciple Yûgen, Basho was well taken care of by Yûgen and by his wife, although Yûgen was very poor and it was very diffucult for him to afford to entertain Basho with descent foods and sake.
Basho recalled the episode of the wife of Akechi Mitsuhide, who sold her hair to buy foods to host a Renga (poetry) party, when they were very poor and were at a loss to entertain people decently with foods.
In gratitude to the kindness of Yûgen's wife, Basho sent the following haiku poem to Yûgen.

月さびよ 明智が妻の咄せむ
tsuki sabiyo Akechi ga tsuma no hanashi sen

Be somber, Moon,
as I will tell you the story
of Akechi's wife


Akechi Mitsuhide ( 1528-1582 ) was a powerful warlord and had a splendid castle that stood in Sakamoto at the foot of Mr. Hiei on the coast of Lake Biwa-ko. He was, however, very poor when he was young.

He attacked his master Oda Nobunaga at the Honnô-ji Temple in 1582, and virtually killed him. He was attacked in return by Hideyoshi. Defeated, and in his way to come back to his, he was killed.

His glorious career ended sadly. The story of Aklechi and his wife in the end was sad and Basho asked the moon to be somber and not be joyfull for the sad story.
source : Sasaki


moon, be lonely -
I want to tell of
Akechi's wife

Tr. Barnhill

. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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愛宕神社 Atago shrine in Tokyo
東京都港区愛宕 1-5-3 / Minato ward, Shiba, Atago


It was built by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603 to prevent fires in the city. The shrine is on a small mountain of only 26 meters hight, but it could overlook most of the new Edo city and thus help prevent fires.
The very steep stairs leading to the shrine are also famous, as they represent success in life.
According to legend,
a young samurai, 曲垣平九郎 Magaki Heikuro, dared to ride his horse up the stairs to deliver plum blossoms to the shogun Iemitsu. It took his horse only one minute to get up, but 45 minutes to get down, and the horse was totally exhausted afterwards. The samurai got a great reward and was promoted to a high rank.
. shusse no ishidan 出世の石段 staircase to a good career .

The main deity is
Homusubi no mikoto 火産霊命 / カグツチ / 軻遇突智 Kagutsuchi Deity of Fire
. . . and
Mizuhanome no mikoto 罔象女命(水の神) Deity of Water
Ooyamazumi no mikoto 大山祇命(山の神) Deity of Mountain
Yamato Takeru 日本武尊(武徳の神)Deity of the Samurai
More in the Wikipedia


. Hagoita 羽子板 Battledore, Shuttlecock .
from Atago Shrine, with the zodiac animal for every year


. Kagutsuchi カグツチ /
軻遇突智 Kagu-tsuchi - "incarnation of fire" .

- Homusubi no Mikoto 火産霊命



芝愛宕山 Shiba Atagoyama

Atagoyama 愛宕山 is a district in Tokyo, Minato ward, Shiba



. Famous Places and Powerspots of Edo 江戸の名所 .


. Kawase Hasui 川瀬巴水 (1883 - 1957) .


haru n Atagoyama 春のあたご山 Atagoyama in the Spring
東京十二題 12 Scenes of Tokyo


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Akibagongen 秋葉権現 and Izuna Atago
Since Akiba Gongen is also believed to have originated in the Mt. Izuna and Togakushi area, the two deities are obviously closely related. Since the Buddhist counterpart (honji or "original essence"; see honji suijaku) of Izuna Gongen is said to be the bodhisattva Jizō (Sk. Ksitigarbha), the cult displays a mutual influence with the Atago cult (which involved an amalgamation with Shōgun Jizō or "Jizō of victory").
As a result, the deities are often referred to by the conjoined name Izuna-Atago.

. Izuna Gongen, Iizuna no Gongen 飯網の権現 .

. Amulet to win a battle - Shogun Jizo .


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Kankosai 還幸祭 Festival of Welcoming the Gods

Saga Matsuri 嵯峨祭 Shrine Nonomiya Jinja 野宮神社,
Atago Jinja, Kyoto 愛宕神社(京都市右京区)
Fourth Sunday in May

. Naked Festivals of Japan .



悪態まつり(茨城県笠間市、愛宕神社)
Akutai Matsuri "cursing festival"

Kasama Town, Atago Jinja

. Kisai 奇祭 special festivals .


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Hatsu Atago 初愛宕 (はつあたご) First visit to Atago
kigo for the New Year

Ceremony at Atago, Atago no shinji
愛宕の神事(あたごのしんじ)
Messenger from Atago, Atago no tsukai
愛宕の使(あたごのつかい)
. . . o-koto no tsukai お事の使(おことのつかい)


The details are here:
. Bishamonten and Atago .

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Atago no sennichi moode 愛宕の千日詣
(あたごのせんにちもうで)
1000 days pilgrimage at Atago

kigo for late summer

The official name is
sennichi tsuuyasai 千日通夜祭 "1000 days in one night".
It lasts from the night of July 21 to the early morning of August 8. People who visit during this time will be protected from fire for 1000 days.
The climb up to the mountain shrine is about 4 km long and lit by torches during the night.
Special buses and trains are run during the night to bring all the visitors.




at 9 in the evening of July 31
yuumikesai 夕御饌祭 "dinner for the deities"
the yamabushi make a purifying bonfire (gomataki ゴマ焚き神事)

at 2 in the morning of August 1
asamikesai 朝御饌祭 "breakfast for the deities"
Dance of the head priest, rituals to appease the fire

Look at some more photos from the shrine:
source : sentimairi4.htm



. WKD : Summer Ceremonies .

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Atagobi 愛宕火 (あたごび ) "fire at Atago"

kigo for early autumn

This relates to the Atago shrine at Itami.
On the 24th of the seventh lunar month people put up lanterns and lit candles in rituals for the souls of the departed ancestors during O-Bon. Big torches were also carried around and thrown into the fire.
In the region o Setzu (now Hyogo and Northern Osaka) there were many Atago shrines.
At the Atago mountain in Kyoto it was a custom to throw simple clay dishes (kawarake) from the mountain to make a wish come true. The haiku is a combination of the two events.


Thrown from the 25th station on the way up


あたご火のかはらけなげや伊丹坂
Atagobi no kawarake-nage ya Itamizaka

Atago-fire
and the dish-throwing ritual -
Itami slope


. Ihara Saikaku, Ibara Saikaku 井原西鶴 .

source : zouhai.com


. . . CLICK here for Photos of dish-throwing !



Throwing hooroku plates from temple Mibudera
. Hooroku Jizo ほうろく地蔵 .


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



goma seihai 護摩聖灰 sacred ashes from a Goma fire ritual
. Fukagawa Fudo Do (Fudoo Doo) 深川不動堂 .
Amulets are hung up at the ceiling of the home to prevent fire.
Tokyo



. Musaigai 無災害お守り amulets against fire .


達磨 越谷だるま
. hi no yoojin 火の用心 take care of fire - Daruma .

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HAIKU




秋深く友と登りし愛宕山 
aki fukaku tomo to noborishi Atagoyama  

autumn deepens -
with a friend I climb up to
Mount Atago


Antoo 安東

. . . . .

枯れ梢 愛宕の山は 下紅葉    
Morikawa 森川

落ち葉踏み清滝からの愛宕山 
秋深く友と登りし愛宕山   
師走月念願叶い愛宕山      
Antoo 安東

秋去りぬハッパ踏みふみ愛宕山  
Kiyomizu 清水

霧こもる愛宕の山に冬近し 
かんさびし愛宕の杉に木枯らしのあと
Tokunaga 徳永

source : kunistok

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蜻蛉の百度参りやあたご山
tonboo no hyakudo mairi ya Atago yama

the dragonfly
on a one-hundred prayers circuit -
Mount Atago


Kubota Toen 久保田兎園
(1722 - 1801)

46 of his haiku are mistakenly attributed to Kobayashi Issa.
source : 久保田兎園 wiki

. Kubota Seifu 久保田成布 .


. "100 prayers circuit" 百度参り hyakudo mairi .


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Related words

***** . Fire (kaji 火事) .

***** . Amulets and Talismans from Japan . 

BACK : Top of this Saijiki

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. 愛宕権現 伝説 Legends about Atago Gongen .

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
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8/14/2011

Togakushi Shrine Festival

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
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Togakushi Festival (Togakushi matsuri )

***** Location: Nagano
***** Season: Early Autumn
***** Category: Observance


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Explanation

Togakushi matsuri 戸隠祭 (とがくしまつり)
Togakushi festival


at Togakushi Shrine 戸隠神社, Nagano

It starts on August 14th at the central shrine, and continues on the 15th at the Oku Sha 奥社 Innermost sanctuary.
On August 16 a ritual is held at shrine Hookoosha 宝光社 Hokosha.


Kuzuryū, kuzu ryuu 九頭龍 "9-headed dragon"
deriving from the multi-headed Naga king シェーシャ or 舍沙 "Shesha",
is worshipped at Togakushi Shrine in Nagano Prefecture.

. Dragon Deities of Japan .

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More photos are here:
source : brisana/e


quote
Togakushi-jinja (Shrine)
stands in the midst of a wood with cedar trees that are over a hundred years old, just at the foot of the precipice of Mt. Togakushi. It consists of three shrines - the lower shrine is Hoko-sha (Treasure of Light), the second Chu-sha (Middle Shrine) and the third Oku-sha (Deep Sanctuary).

They were built at intervals of roughly two kilometres. These shrines are dedicated to mythological gods and each has a long history. The approaches to each shrine are unique and it is customary to clap twice when worshipping at shrines to awaken the gods before praying.
The approach to the upper shrine is known for its natural beauty, lined with over three hundred majestic old Sugi cedar trees.
source : myoko-nojiri.com


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quote
The Togakushi-kogen Highlands area is situated in the north of Nagano within Joshinetsu National Park. This volcanic area has an altitude of 1,200 meters and is located at the foot of two volcanoes, Togakushi and Iizuna.

In the midst of a wood, with cedar trees that are over 100 years old, there stands Togakushi-jinja Shrine. At the shrine you can see the Kagura, a performance of traditional sacred music and dancing with themes selected from ancient myths, during the grand festival held in fall.

There is also a small reproduction ninja village and school.
Togakushi was formerly known as the village of Togakure which some consider to be the birthplace of Togakure Ryu Ninpo - a school of ninjutsu founded eight hundred years ago by Daisuke Nishina (Togakure).
Toh Gakure, means "Concealing Door"
Togakushiryu Ninpo Shiryokan - Ninja Museum

Togakushi is also noted for the production of soba noodles.

The Kurohime-kogen Highlands
spread to the southeast of Mt. Kurohime-yama, situated near the border of Niigata this mountain is also known as Shinano-Fuji. It is a popular summer resort with larch and birch woods, and skiing in winter. Around the area called a "forest of fairy tales," is the Kurohime Fairy Tale Museum that collects fairy tales from all over the world, as well as the O-ike Pond, Nanatsu-ike Pond, volcanic crater lakes, cosmos fields, and cattle grazing fields.
source : www.jnto.go.jp


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Deities in residence

Okusha 奥社
Amenotajikarao no mikoto
天手力雄命(あめのたぢからおのみこと)

Chuusha 中社 Middle Shrine
Amenoyagokoro Omoikane no mikoto
天八意思兼命(あめのやごころおもいかねのみこと)

Hookoosha 宝光社 Hokosha
Ameno uwaharu no mikoto
天表春命(あめのうわはるのみこと)

九頭龍社 Shrine of the Nine-Headed Dragon
Kuzuryuu no oomikami
九頭龍大神(くずりゅうのおおかみ)

and one more in another shrine of the compound
Ame no uzume no mikoto
天鈿女命(あめのうずめのみこと)



Dragon Shrine Amulets



Amuelts and votive tablets 戸隠神社の龍に関する、お守りや絵馬


Homepage of Togakushi Shrine
source : www.togakushi-jinja.jp


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Togakushi soba  戸隠蕎麦 buckwheat noodles


quote
Togakushi village is famous throughout Japan for it's soba (buckwheat noodles) which come in a variety of sizes and are defined by how much buckwheat flour is used in their making. At least 30% buckwheat flour must be used in order for noodles to gain the trademark of soba. Higher buckwheat content makes soba much more desirable to the discerning public. It started its history there as sustenance for monks during their severely austere religious training; these monks ate soba powder dissolved in water, or took grilled soba powder into the mountains when they went for training.

Today it's still used in Togakushi's harvest festival - and in Spring you can see fields of soba flowers, which are used to produce the flour for making soba. There are as many as thirty soba shops boasting the superior taste of their hand-made soba that line the long road leading to Togakushi shrine. Accordingly, the area is a favored destination for soba lovers from throughout Japan and overseas.

You can also check out the Togakushi Soba Museum where you can make your own buckwheat soba noodles under the guidance of a master chef or just enjoy watching noodles made by an expert.

The Togakushi Soba Festival is held during the fall equinox,
People buy small sake cups on the eve of the festival and eat soba at any (or all!) of the twenty one participating restaurants.


Togakushi bamboo craftwork

has been produced via traditional skills in Togakushi Village since the Edo period. They are now highly-rated as fine art.
source : myoko-nojiri.com


. WKD : Buckwheat noodles (soba) .



- quote Sean Donnan Art -
CLICK for more photos !

鬼すだく戸隠のふもとそばの花
oni sudaku togakushi no fumoto soba no hana

the demon is out -
at the food of Mount Togakushi
buckwheat flowers


. Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村 1715 - 1783) .

Buson is talking about
kijo momiji 鬼女紅葉 The Female Demon called "Momiji"

- quote -
Momiji - literally “maple leaves;” used as a name
LEGENDS:
Long ago a powerful witch named Momiji lived in the mountains of Nagano prefecture. Her story takes place during the season of fall-leaf-viewing, when groups of people would gather in the mountains for festivals and parties under the falling red, orange, and gold leaves.

During this time, a samurai named Taira no Koremochi was charged by a local Hachiman shrine with hunting oni. His hunt had taken him to Togakushi mountain, where a particularly nasty kijo was said to live.



Koremochi and his retainers climbed the beautiful mountain, and they came upon a small group of aristocrats having a leaf-viewing party. Koremochi sent one of his retainer ahead to investigate. The retainer approached to inquire about the party, and was told that a noble princess was hosting it; however the ladies in waiting would not tell him the princess’ name. Just as Koremochi and his retainers decided to continue on their mission, one of the ladies-in-waiting approached and told them that her mistress had heard of Koremochi before, and she wanted to invite them to her party. Despite his mission Koremochi could not rudely turn down a princess, so he and his companions agreed.

At the party, the warriors were introduced to Princess Sarashina, an extremely beautiful young woman. They all sat and enjoyed watching the leaves, drinking sake, and dancing. Koremochi asked the princess if she would dance for him, and she did. Soon the men became drunk and sleepy, and dozed off under the beautiful trees.

As he slept, Koremochi dreamed of Hachiman and his mission. The god told him that Princess Sarashina was actually the kijo Momiji in disguise, and that he must kill her with the holy katana, Kogarasumaru (“Little Crow”). When Koremochi woke up, the sword he dreamed of was in his hand — a gift from Hachiman — and he knew that what he dreamed had been real. He chased after the women, and all of a sudden a huge firestorm broke out. Flame and wind lit up the mountain. Suddenly a ten foot tall kijo with horns made of burning trees appeared, and an intense battle between the samurai and the demoness took place. In the end, thanks to his magical sword, Koremochi was successful, and slew the Witch of Togakushi Mountain.
- source : yokai.com/momiji -


- quote -
Momijigari (紅葉狩) or Maple Viewing
is a Japanese shosagoto (dance) play, usually performed in kabuki and noh. It was also the first narrative ever filmed in Japan. It was written by Kanze Nobumitsu during the Muromachi period. Other titles for the play include Yogoshōgun and Koremochi.
The original play, performed in both noh and kabuki, is a story of the warrior Taira no Koremochi visiting Togakushi-yama, a mountain in Shinshū for the seasonal maple-leaf viewing event. In reality, he has come to investigate and kill a demon that has been plaguing the mountain's deity, Hachiman.
There he meets a princess named Sarashinahime, and drinks some sake she offers him. Thereupon she reveals her true form as the demon Kijo, and attacks the drunk man. Koremochi is able to escape using his sword, called Kogarasumaru, which was given to him by Hachiman. The demon gnaws on a maple branch as she dies.
Traditionally
the play is accompanied by Takemoto, nagauta and Tokiwazu music.
- - - The first kabuki performance
- - - The 1899 film
- source : wikipedia -

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Winter at Togakushi





Snowman Daruma
Beeso Daruma ベーそだるま


Look at more winter photos :
source : togakushi-jinja.jp/blog


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There are various shrines in Japan with the name
Togakushi Jinja 戸隠神社.




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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way



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HAIKU


ござるぞよ戸隠山の御夕立
gozaru zo yo togakushiyama no o-yuudachi

blessings fall
on Mount Togakushi...
a cloudburst


Kobayashi Issa

Professor Toru Kiuchi helped decipher this haiku.
Its closing phrase, o-yûdachi, is polite and thankful. Professor Kiuchi writes, "Issa puts 'o' on yûdachi, implying that he may think that the rain shower from the mysterious and holy mountain is blessed and welcome." The summer rain, a gift from the god above, falls as a blessing on the sacred mountain in Issa's home province of Shinano (Nagano prefecture). Professor Kiuchi adds that he once witnessed a storm form over Togakushiyama, and he recalled this haiku, happy to be seeing with his own eyes what Issa saw so long ago.
Tr. and comment - David Lanoue

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. WKD : Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .

gozaru zo yo togakushi-yama no o-yuudachi

one's coming!
from Mt. Togakushi
a divine downpour

Tr. Chris Drake

This hokku was written early in the 5th month (June) in 1813, four months after Issa began living in his hometown again after returning from Edo. Mt. Togakushi, about ten miles southwest of Issa's hometown, was in Issa's time one of the most sacred mountains in Japan to Buddhism, to Shinto, and to Yamabushi mountain ascetics who mixed together Buddhism, Shinto, and shamanism, worshiping and doing austerities on holy mountains. During the medieval period, three thousand Buddhist and Yamabushi monks lived and did meditation and austerities on Mt. Togakushi, the largest number monks on a single mountain in Japan after Mt. Hiei and Mt. Koya. The name of the mountain, Mt. Hidden Rock Door, comes from a Shinto myth contained in the ancient Kojiki collection of mythic texts.

According to the myth, the younger brother of the female sun god and ruler of all the gods, Amaterasu, did many outrageous things such as destroying his older sister's rice fields and desecrating a sacred weaving hall. In protest, the sun god hid in a cave and closed the cave's rock door, throwing heaven into total darkness. Many calamities occurred, and the gods gathered and asked a female dancer god, Ame no Uzume, to dance in front of the cave door. The god went into a trance, and then she danced a dance so dynamic and erotic that all the gods began to laugh, causing the sun god to become curious. When the sun god opened the rock door a little and looked outside, a powerful god pulled her all the way outside, bringing light back to the universe. A further myth adds that after the sun god came out of the cave, a powerful god hid the rock door from her by throwing it completely out of heaven. The great rock landed far down below in the middle of the largest island of Japan, where it is now known as Mt. Togakushi -- the rock door of the sun god's cave now hidden down on earth.

In Issa's time, Mt. Togakushi was the site of numerous shrines and temples, and it was the destination of many pilgrims, who would go there after visiting nearby Zenkoji Temple. In those days Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were usually built side by side, and the most prominent statue on Mt. Togakushi was of the bodhisattva Kannon, but many other Buddhas and gods were worshiped there, including the shamanic dancer god who lured the sun god out of her cave. According to a different shamanic tradition, the original god of the mountain was Nine Headed Dragon (Kuzu-ryuu), a god of water and rain, and people would pray at the dragon's pond on the mountain and carry buckets of water back to their villages, sharing the water with their neighbors and praying for good crops for the whole village. The mountain was believed to be so powerful that even the shogunate in Edo patronized it heavily in order to use its power for political purposes.

Issa's hokku is written around rice-planting time, and his diary shows it rained four times in the first week of the 5th month. With the rainy season soon to begin, it's not likely he or most of the other villagers are praying for or want a downpour at this point. In fact, heavy rain might flood the rice paddies and carry away the newly planted rice shoots, ruining the crop. The respectful language in the hokku is probably due to Issa's respect for the divine mountain itself and the various other Buddhas and gods worshiped there rather than an expression of specific thanks for a possibly dangerous downpour. In Shinto, gods have both a wild, destructive aspect (ara-tama) and a constructive, peaceful aspect (nigi-tama): a hard, destructive rain causing a flood or other damage would be an example of the former, while a gentle, steady rain would be an example of the latter. Both divine aspects deserve respect, however, and Issa shows respect for the possibly violent divine downpour.

The hokku is ambiguous about the location of the storm. The first line, however, is quite strong and colloquial (while remaining respectful), so I take it to be pointing out the storm in a warning to someone else. The polite verb gozaru means both 'to be' or 'to come / go.' The emphatic zo and exclamatory yo suggest that the storm that began on Mt. Togakushi is now heading for Issa's village and that people there need to get ready for it. Issa also uses the same expression a few hokku later (see below), where it clearly seems to be a warning. The polite prefix o- before "downpour" in the third line shows respect for the mountain and all its gods and Buddhas, and it also implies familiarity: it suggests that in summer severe rainstorms often form on Mt. Togakushi and that this storm is one more of them and that the possible dangers, especially of flooding, are well known in the village.

This hokku is followed in Issa's diary by several interesting hokku about downpours, possibly about the same storm coming from Mt. Togakushi. The next hokku is:


mammaru ni hito-yuudachi ga hajimarinu

a single
completely round
rainstorm begins



The black storm clouds that come toward the village look completely round, giving an uncanny feeling of wild divinity to the storm. The downpour literally "has begun," implying that it has reached the village.

Then, three hokku after the second hokku above, is this slightly mysterious hokku:

semi naku ya wagaya mo ishi ni naru you ni

cicadas crying
turning my home, too
into rock


The cries of the cicadas sound so strong to Issa that he feels they will turn his house into rock. Perhaps rock as solid as the mythic rock cave in heaven with its big rock door. If this is the image, then Issa's rock house would be able avoid any flood damage from the downpour. This might be a double allusion both to Basho's famous hokku about cicada cries penetrating rock and to Mt. Togakushi, the rock door from heaven, at the same time.
This hokku is followed by:

horo-tsuku ya hachibee-dono no inori-ame

a few big drops --
rain the waitresses
prayed for


This humorous hokku suggests that the only ones who are praying for more rain at this time are the waitresses at the local inns who double as sex workers in their spare time. If there's a rain and flooding, travelers will have to stop early or stay another night, so they'll have lots of extra time on their hands.
And the next hokku is:

ato kara mo mata gozaru zo yo ko-yuudachi

followed by
another one's coming!
a smaller downpour


The phrase in italics is the same one Issa uses in the first hokku above. This suggests it might be a stock phrase villagers use to warn each other when a sudden severe rainstorm is approaching from the sacred mountain. In any case, gozaru seems to suggest 'coming' here and in the first hokku as well. The downpour is divine but also a cause for concern.

Chris Drake


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Dragon amulets -
the Togakushi Festival
on my screen


Gabi Greve
August 2012


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Related words

***** . OBSERVANCES – AUTUMN SAIJIKI .

. 戸隠竹細工センター Togakushi Bamboo Craft Center .

. Amulets and Talismans from Japan . 

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