JAPANESE TATTOO GOODS: 祭

ラベル祭の投稿を表示しています。すべての投稿を表示

2012年10月1日月曜日

The Shinto Kanamara Matsuri

The Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り) is held each spring at the Kanayama shrine (金山神社) in Kawasaki, Japan. The exact dates vary: the main festivities fall on the first Sunday in April. The penis, as the central theme of the event – is reflected in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and a mikoshi parade.

The Kanamara Matsuri is centered around a local penis-venerating shrine once popular among prostitutes who wished to pray for protection from sexually transmitted diseases. It is said that there are also divine protections for business prosperity and for the clan's prosperity; and for easy delivery, marriage, and married-couple harmony. There is also a legend of a sharp-toothed demon (vagina dentata) that hid inside the vagina of a young woman and castrated two young men on their wedding nights. As a result, the young woman sought help from a blacksmith, who fashioned an iron phallus to break the demon's teeth, which lead to the enshrinement of the item.

Today, the festival has become something of a tourist attraction and is used to raise money for HIV research.

2012年6月25日月曜日

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri (三社祭, literally "Three Shrine Festival"), or Sanja Festival, is one of the three great Shinto festivals in Tokyo, along with the Kanda Matsuri and Sannō Matsuri.

It is considered one of the wildest and largest.

The festival is held in honor of Hinokuma Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari and Hajino Nakatomo, the three men who established and founded Sensō-ji.

Sanja Matsuri is held on the third weekend of every May at Asakusa Shrine.

Its prominent parades revolve around three mikoshi (three portable shrines referenced in the festival's name), as well as traditional music and dancing. Over the course of three days, the festival attracts 1.5 to 2 million locals and tourists every year.

...................................................................................

SPECIAL THANX

http://wadaphoto.jp

2012年4月18日水曜日

NAMAHAGE IN AKITA

Namahage
is a Japanese ritual which is observed throughout Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture
in northern Honshū, Japan. It is said to have originated as a ritual for
cleansing people's souls, and for blessing the new year.It is a kind of toshigami.
Young children; lazy ones are often the blight of many parents’ existence.
For the parents in Japan’s Oga Peninsula, Akita Prefecture in
northern Honshu, Japan, there is a solution: the infamous Namahage; where an
annual ritual takes place on the 31st of December.
Dozens of young single men (traditionally) from various regions in Akita Prefecture,
Japan dress like the Namahage demon. Each portrayer adorns an eerie demon mask (various colors depending on region), a straw raincoat and waistband and carries a scary
tool made of wood depicting a knife/stick/ various weapon; and a pail.
They re-enact the folklore dressed as these demons and march around the village in hopes of scaring prepubescent kids into total parental submission.
Going door-to-door, they sweep the village threatening to drag any spoiled disobedient children.
As the story goes, a child's lazy spirit (even lazy adults) that is disobedient is dragged into the snow covered mountains away from their parents.
Knowing the story very well, upon barging into each home,
the young children is immediately frightened by loud roars as
they are chased, kids typically scream with agony and fear.
This prompts parents to sooth their kids worries of being taken away by the Namahage,
letting them know that they’ve been behaving.
The Namahage then encourage the children to keep studying
and working hard, as a result the kids make a promise, or a New Year’s resolution to behave.
Namahage's carry a notebook about each particular person recording that person's behavior from that year.
The Namahage deities are then received by the head of the family in formal dress,
who offers sake and food. Upon appeasement by the warm hospitality of the householder
(usually they are given sake), they take leave of that house, promising that the family will be blessed with good health, a large catch and a rich crop in the New Year, and then set off to visit the next home.