Yamaguchi prefecture

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. Regional Festivals - From Hokkaido to Okinawa .

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Yamaguchi Prefecture - 山口県

prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island.
The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture.
The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. Yamaguchi - Entries of this BLOG .

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. Fugu Kuyoo 河豚供養 Memorial Service for Pufferfish .
Shimonoseki


. 柳井金魚ちょうちん祭り Yanai Goldfish Festival .
August 13


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External LINKS :

- Reference -

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Related words





. Regional Folk Toys from Japan - GANGU .　

. Regional Dishes from Japan - WASHOKU .


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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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Sentei Festival

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Sentei Festival (senteisai)

***** Location: Shimonoseki, Japan
***** Season: Late Spring
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

Sentei sai 先帝祭 (せんていさい) Sentei Festival
..... Sentei-e, Sentei e 先帝会（せんていえ）
sentei literally means "the former emperor"

Held at shrine Akama Jingu in Shimonoseki on May 2 to 4

In memory of a visit of Emperor Go-Toba to pray for the soul of Antoku Tenno at the temple Amida-Ji, on march 24 of the lunar calendar.

Also in rememberance of the ladies of the Heike clan who had to work as prostitutes to pay for the funerals of their family members.



During the procession, ladies dressed in robes of the Heian court parade through the city.

山口県下関市の赤間神宮
後鳥羽天皇 Gotoba Tenno
安徳天皇 Antoku Tenno


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Emperor Antoku (安徳天皇 Antoku-tennō)
(December 22, 1178 – April 24, 1185, age 16)



was the 81st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1180 through 1185.

During this time, the imperial family was involved in a bitter struggle between warring clans. Yoritomo, with his cousin Yoshinaka, led a force from the Minamoto clan against the Taira, who controlled the emperor. During a sea battle in April 1185, a member of the royal household took Antoku and plunged with him into the water in the Shimonoseki Straits, drowning the child emperor rather than allowing him to be captured by the opposing forces.

The conflict between the clans led to numerous legends and tales. Antoku's tomb is said to be located in a number of places around western Japan, including the island of Iwo Jima, a result of the spreading of legends about the emperor and the battle.

1183 (Juei 2, 20th day of the 8th month):
Go-Toba is proclaimed emperor by the Genji; and consequently, there were two proclaimed emperors.

1185 (Genryaku 2, 24th day of the 3rd month):
The Taira (Heike) and the Minamoto clashed in the Battle of Dan-no-ura.

The Taira were defeated. Antoku's grandmother, Taira no Tokiko, the widow of Taira no Kiyomori, drowned herself along with the young emperor Antoku.

Memorial site
After his drowning, in order to mourn the body and placate any restless spirits, the Amidaji Goeidō 御影堂 was built. Later, Antoku was enshrined at the Kurume-Suitengū in Kurume, Fukuoka, and he came to be worshipped as Mizu-no-kami (水の神, lit. "water-god" or "god of water"), the god of easy delivery at Suitengū (水天宮, lit. "water-heaven/emperor-shrine") everywhere.

With the establishment of Shintō as the state religion of Japan, the Amidaji Temple was abandoned and the Akama Shrine was established in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi to celebrate Antoku.

The Imperial Household Agency designates Amida-ji no misasagi (阿彌陀寺陵) near Akama Shrine in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi as Antoku's tomb.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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Akama Shrine (赤間神宮, Akama Jingū)
is a Shinto shrine in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. It is dedicated to Antoku, a Japanese emperor who died young in the Battle of Dan-no-Ura (aka Dannoura), which occurred nearby in 1185.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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ema 絵馬 votive tablet


. denden daiko omamori でんでん太鼓 small drum.

kani dorei カニ土鈴 clay bell like a crab
fugu dorei フク土鈴 clay bell like a pufferfish

fuusui omikuji 風水おみくじ feng shui amulets

Homepage of the shrine
source : jinja/xakama.htm


. Amulets and Talismans from Japan .　

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. Suitengu 水天宮 Shrine for the Water God .
Deity in residence is Antoku Tenno 安徳天皇 .


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

In the “Tales of Heike”the Kumano Betto Tanzo 熊野別当湛増 (or steward of the Kumano shrines, who is said to be the father of Benkei) turned to the gods to decide which side to join forces with during the historic sea battle of “Dan-no-ura” (1185) between the Heike and Genji clans by holding a divinatory cockfight here with a white and a red cock.
The white cock, representing the Genji, won the fight.

. Benkei Matsuri 弁慶まつり Benkei Festival 　



. WASHOKU : Food from Shimonoseki 　


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HAIKU


春の潮先帝祭も近づきぬ
haru no shio sentei sai mo chikazukinu

spring tide -
the Sentei festival too
is coming closer

. Takahama Kyoshi高浜 虚子 　


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Related words

***** . Taira no Tadanori 平忠度


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