Location; 1723 Kabasaki-cho, Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture

Date; the third Sunday in April and October

Access; It takes about two hours by local train from Tokyo to Ashikaga (JR) or Ashikaga City (Tobu Line). If travelling by Shinkansen, you will need to change at Takasaki. Approximately 6 km from Ashikaga, or Ashikaga Station.

*https://www-city-ashikaga-tochigi-jp.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja&_x_tr_pto=wapp Ashikaga city official

Based on the visit on 16 April 2017

prologue

In brief, the history of Japan is that rice cultivation gave rise to large-scale political forces in various parts of the country, which eventually came together in armed struggle to form one united government. These are the ancestors of the present-day Emperors. Thereafter, a long period of political rule centred on the emperor, with influential aristocrats gathered around him. They stayed in the capital cities of Nara and Kyoto, and maintained power by siphoning off revenues from their local fiefdoms. but the territory is limited. Ownership disputes and other conflicts began to arise between neighbouring lands. The nobles then had their armed men settle the disputes. The armed forces rapidly became powerful. They were the samurai. Eventually, the samurai moved into the centre of power, eventually creating their own government in Kanto (Kamakura), far from Kyoto. At the centre at this time was the Hojo clan, who seized power by destroying other clans like a Mafia war. This period lasted for about 150 years. However, the number of people dissatisfied with the Hojo clan potentially increased, leading them to overthrow the Hojo regime and create a new one in Kyoto. The Ashikaga clan was central at this time and became shoguns in the new regime. Eventually, Ashikaga’s power waned and an era of divided warlords dawned; Japan was ultimately reunified by the Tokugawa shogun, but that is a story for another time.

The Ashikaga clan’s home town is now Ashikaga City. The kagura presented here takes place in a town with such a historical background.

Kabasaki Hatiman shrine

The Kabasaki Hachimangu shrine, where the story takes place, was founded by the Ashikaga clan. As proof, the shrine has a curtain with the Ashikaga family crest on it. This report is about the kagura performed here. It is a bit far from the station, so It is therefore a good idea to hire a bike at the station. The road is flat and straight. It is easy to find. About 45 minutes on a bicycle. The area is away from the city center and the scenery is much more idyllic. Kagura is also loosely in tune with the landscape. It was scheduled to start at 10.00 am, but actually started at around 10.30 am.

The Appearance of the Hachiman Deity

First, one program without a mask. After that was the dance of the god of war, Hachiman. As befits a god of war, he takes his bow and arrow and points it in all directions. This is not to glorify warfare, but to drive away the bad spirits that lurk in the area. He protects shrines, villages and people.

Lunch break here. The locals sold Yakisoba noodles the area for 100 yen. They are almost all volunteers. Cheap. That’s why they sell so well.
The shrine is said to be associated with the Ashikaga clan, but it is plain for a family that once ruled the country (from the early 14th century to the 16th century). It is said to have originally been larger and grander, but declined as the Ashikaga regime fell. However, the decoration is fine. There was a person who told me many details, and I thought he was a local historian, but to my surprise he was a descendant of the Ashikaga clan. There are many things that can only be understood by actually going there.

After lunch

The next step is the famous opening of Ama-no-Iwato (the rock door inheaven), where the main actors are Ameno-uzume, Tajikarao and Amaterasu… Ameno-uzume only performs a short dance, and Amaterasu leaves the stage just as soon as she appears. In the end, only Tajikarao was the only prominent performer in the troupe. As village people handed down kagura, They probably omitted more and more parts that were not relevant to real life and Kagura gradually changes to a form more suited to the locality. The story of Amaterasu is important as Japanese mythology, but not so much for the people.

Let’s keep it casual and take it easy

And finally, the common people’s group appears. In case , the god Ebisu (this god represents the common people’s group) is the star of the performance. Seven gods that common people have believed in since the Middle Ages. All of them bring happiness to people. Ebisu is one of the most popular among them. That is why Ebisu plays such an important role in this kind of kagura in the village. But in reality, the main attraction is a droll duo. So, these two people fish on behalf of Ebisu and throw snacks and treats. Many children gather, but for them, this is almost the main thing. That’s why it’s a big deal. But if you look closely, they don’t keep it to themselves. Is this another merit of God?

Next to Ebisu comes a deity named Daikoku, who is as popular as he is. He is able to bring forth treasures by waving a mallet in his hand. So here is another big treat of sweets.

Next is Inari, another indispensable deity in the kagura of the village. Inari is the god of rice cultivation in general, and is served by a fox. However, in terms of order, they usually appear earlier. The audience is already in the mood for sweets, so they put rice cultivation aside and start scattering rice again. Since it is kagura, they dance on stage, but people’s attention has already turned to when they are going to throw things.

The stage is now in full “Mochi-nage (Originally, the name was derived from the throwing of rice cakes. Nowadays, various throws such as snacks or candy)” mode. The Ebisuza has begun again. Exactly the same program, exactly the same flow. This happens sometimes in kagura in the village.

Happiness for everyone

The performance ends with a purification of the stage by a mountain god called “Yama-gami” (mountain god). However, to the surprise of the audience, even the mountain deity do Mochi-nage. It is a great service. The people who had stayed until the very end were very satisfied. Good things come to those who wait. This is how kagura continues into the next year.

Date: 15 April and 1 October every year
Location: 649 Oaza Yokose, Yokose-cho, Chichibu, Saitama, Japan
Access: Take Seibu Ikebukuro Line, change at Hanno 飯能 and walk 20 minutes from Yokose 横瀬 on Chichibu Line. It takes about one hour from Tokyo to Hanno, transferring at Ikebukuro 池袋.

*This article is based on October 1, 2016.

Prologue

The kagura introduced here is typical Kanto kagura, which has been handed down to the villagers. It takes about two and a half hours by train from Tokyo. In addition, it is a mountain village about 20 minutes’ walk away. Even at the tourist information centre near the station, nobody knows anything about Kagura. All they have is trekking information. Nearby is a mountain called Mt Buko 武甲山. This is a lime mining site and there are a number of cement factories dotted nearby. Kagura has been passed down quietly in such places. The first half is a ritualistic dance based on mythology. The second half gradually becomes more informal in a typical style that is more accessible to the common people.

Start

Although the start time is 10.00 am, a priestly ceremony takes place from 10.00 am. This lasts for less than an hour. Then, at around 11:00, it finally begins somewhat as everyone settles into place. This looseness is one of the good things about the Sato 里 (village) kagura.

The first stage begins with a purification dance on the stage. This is followed by a dance without masks, and then the masks of the old men appear. The Okina 翁 (old man) mask has a special aspect that is treated as a sacred mask in Noh plays.

Next to this is the dance of a woman called Ameno-uzume. Ameno-uzume was a deity who played an important role in summoning the sun goddess Amaterasu when she went into hiding, and she often appears in kagura.

Loyal fox serving the boss

Next program is Kanayama-hiko 金山彦, the god of blacksmithing, who does not play a particularly significant role in mythology but often appears in kagura. It is likely that these gods were more appreciated by the common people than the formation of a large state. The fox appears there as a subordinate. The fox is a familiar character who often appears as a messenger of God. Here, he has a dubious shape with mesh in his hair. Kanayama-hiko immediately begins to make a sword. The fox also helps with the forging. After a while, Kanayama-hiko looks sullenly at the finished sword. The fox looks at it with him, but Kanayama-hiko is still not happy with it and starts to strike again. The fox also helps. A fox who has no choice but to conform to his boss’s self-serving behaviour. There is a reason why it looks like that. The expression and gestures of the fox resting near Kanayama-hiko, who is dancing with the finished sword, seem to be saying, ‘Oh dear’.

And later, the fox also dances with him, but always one step behind, changing position to the left and to the right to match the movements of his master. When the dance is over, Kanayamahiko leaves. The fox rests at the side of the stage, huffing and puffing. However, as if to say that this is unacceptable, the music suddenly changes and he hurriedly follows his master out of the theatre. This sequence of events seems to focus on the difficulties of employee. it’s tough to be in someone’s service. It is always hard to be a palace worker.

After lunch break

After lunch, a series of iwato-opening ceremonies, also common in kagura in the Kanto region. This event is one of the biggest highlights in Japanese mythology. To put it simply, the sun goddess Amaterasu goes into hiding and the world goes dark. The troubled gods then confer, and as a result, hold a banquet and make a great fuss. Amaterasu becomes suspicious and opens the door to drag her out. The main characters are Ameno-uzume, who enlivens the banquet, and Tajikarao, who boasts of his power to open the rock door.

Open the rock door for the world

Amenouzume appears again. Usually, the Otafuku face is used as Amenouzume, but here the rather pretty face is used. Next come the gods. Then Tadikarao comes out strongly. The blue shading on his face represents a big villain in Kabuki, but here it is used to emphasise his strength. The kagura of the common people is influenced everywhere by Noh and Kabuki.

It’s tough being an employee Part 2

From here, the kagura moves a little away from mythology again. Inari, the god of agriculture, appears. This was more familiar to audiences at the time. And the famous messenger of Inari is the fox. So there are often statues of foxes at shrines dedicated to Inari (e.g. Fushimi Inari in Kyoto).

And what does he do? He is the god of agriculture, so naturally he grows rice. But the Inari God just sits there. It is the foxes who do the work. He holds the hoe, sows the seeds and ploughs the fields. Foxes, along with Tanuki (Japanese raccoon dogs), are famous as animals that bewitch people, but, off course, foxes that can be used by gods are different. They are loyal to their masters and work without complaint. They cannot say they are tired.

This imagines the beginning of agriculture, so people appear. The fox has to teach the human to grow rice as well. But he is a bastard and eats the seeds he receives. This scene shows us that kagura was a form of entertainment in those days.

The foxes tie up their mouths so that human beings cannot eat them and hands-on teach him step by step and polite manner but…. It is also very hard to be available to God.

Ebisu and attendant ~Maybe it’s easier this way

The gods of the common people are Ebisu and Daikoku. Ebisu is famous as a god who fishes all the time and is also a symbol of prosperous business. An attendant appears here as well, but he is not quite the same as a fox. They do not appear to be so loyal to their duties. Yebisu fishing immediately. When he catches his catch, his followers praise him for his skill. However, he soon starts fishing himself, and eventually catches something strange.

Others ~Oroch and Oni

A number of performances follow. There is not space to introduce them all, but I would like to mention two.
One is called ‘Tamatori’, a performance that can sometimes be seen in Kanto kagura. The content is simple: an evil Oni, enchanted by a ball in the princess’s possession, comes to take it away. The main plot, however, is that the warrior deitiy soon exterminate them. However, there is a further development here. The ogres have a magical cloak and hat that allows them to disappear, making themselves invisible to the warrior gods. The ogres could have just run away, but for some reason they start tickling and messing around with Takejin. decides to take matters into his own hands and brings the demon’s mother with him, telling him: “If you don’t show yourself to me, I’ll show your mother to you instead.

The fact that Oni has a mother is a surprise, but it also takes off its own straw hat and cloak for her and allows itself to be beaten by the warrior gods. The story ends as a sad humanistic tale, with the Oni finally exiting with his mother on his back. The fact that the prototype has been handed down in such a modified form gives some indication of the temperament of the villagers of the time.

The extermination of demons is easy to understand and there are others. But what is noteworthy is the extermination of the Orochi. Compared to the spectacular and entertaining western Japan, which is strongly influenced by *Iwami kagura, the Kanto treatment is not so big, and although it has its own innovations, it is somewhat cheap.　→

There were 16 performances that day, and it was nearly 5pm when it was over. It is not necessary to see them all. But sometimes it’s not bad to see a kagura performance that touches the hearts of the villagers.

Official site https://www.town.yokoze.saitama.jp/shisetu-bunka/bunkazai/710#

Titibu 秩父

Chichibu attracts many hikers. This is because it is home to numerous shrines and temples, including Chichibu Shrine, and is also a region rich in natural beauty. Despite this, it’s conveniently located just an hour and a half from Tokyo. In particular, the pilgrimage to the 34 sites of Chichibu continues to attract many visitors to this day. While experiencing the nature and culture of Chichibu, it might be a valuable opportunity to experience the local kagura if the chance arises.

Chichibu Tourism Association https://www.chichibuji.gr.jp/

Date: 19th April
Location: Someya 染谷1856, Ishioka 石岡 city, Ibaraki 茨城 prefecture
Access: Take the Joban Line from Ueno and get off at Ishioka 石岡 Station. About 1 hour by express train (2,500 yen) about 1.5 hours by ordinary train (1,500 yen). Take the Kantetsu 関鉄 Green Bus for Kakioka Shako 柿岡車庫 via Hayashi, and get off at Murakami 村上 bus stop (15 minutes on foot). Or, take the Ishioka Gurururin sightseeing bus (1,000 yen) and get off at Hitachi Fudoki no Oka 常陸風土記の丘. It’s a 5-minute walk. If you want to rent a bicycle, there is a bicycle rental service in front of the station for 300 yen with an additional 700 yen deposit (to be returned when the bicycle is returned.

*This article is based on interviews conducted in 2015

In fact, there are two shrines here, and since they have the same name, it is even easier to make a mistake. And the festivals take place on the same day. And they both worship the deity of dragon. Locals consider one to be a male dragon and one to be a female dragon. To get to the shrine where the kagura is performed, the hill of Hitachi-Fudoki is a landmark. As you head that way, you will see a road to the cemetery on the way. Pass through there and climb the hill. The shrine you are aiming for is at the end of the road.

The First act ~Sarutahiko

The second act ~ Ya-daijin

The 3rd act~ Long sword user

The 4th act ~Dance of sword

Sowing seeds

The foxes cultivate the rice field

planting seeds

Shrine maiden’s dance

Mochi (rice cake) throwing

Sacred sake

Programs that have retained their most ancient form. It is monotonous by itself. This dance is meant to give thanks for the harvest and to offer sake to the gods.

Ebisu ~Fishing sea bream

The 12th program ~Open the Amano-iwato door

Ending

cf.
*https://www.adachi-hanga.com/ukiyo-e-en/category/33
*https://bunkashisan.ne.jp/bunkashisan/08_ibaraki/7041.html

Date: 3rd of January every year
Location: Kmikasuo 上粕尾 915 (Myoken shrine), Kanuma city 鹿沼市, Tochigi prefecture　栃木県
Access: From Tochigi IC of Tohoku Expressway, approx. 45 min. for Kasuo Pass 粕尾峠/Ashio 足尾, or from Kanuma 鹿沼 IC, approx. 50 min. for Kasuo Pass/Ashio

A strange Buddhist ceremony called forced rice eating

There is a strange ritual called “Gohan-shiki 強飯式 (the strong rice ceremony)”. It’s one of the Buddhist rituals. It is a ceremony where a large amount of food is prepared and forced to be eaten. There are many theories as to why it started. One theory says that it started when yamabushi (monks who practiced asceticism in the mountains) offered food to the main deity in the mountains and shared it with the people in the villages. Another theory is that it was an imitation of offerings to the gods and Buddha visiting the human world. In any case, it is not clear why people are forced to eat large amounts of food. Moreover, this ritual exists only in Tochigi prefecture, in the vicinity of Nikko. The most famous of them is conducted at the temple called Rinnoji 輪王寺. Nikko is famous for its shrines and temples dedicated to Ieyasu 家康, the founder of the Edo shogunate, the last samurai government. In the past, it was a very prestigious ceremony and only feudal lords were invited. Therefore, even today, they still follow the dress code of that time.

The ceremony at Hokkoji 発光路

The Ceremony in Hokkoji is held on January 3rd, which is descended from the ritual of Rinnoji Temple in Nikko.
Access is not good. There is a campground around the area. It is a place rich in nature, but it limits the ways of transportation. It takes about 10 minutes from the station by car. From the nearby interchange, it takes about an hour or less. There is also a bus route, but it is closed during the New Year’s. The area around the station is not a place where cabs are stationed. Therefore, the only way to get there is to take your own car, call a cab according to the train schedule, or bring a bicycle.

Outline of the ceremony

The ceremony starts at 9:00 a.m at Myoken shrine. After an hour of rituals, they go to to the community center in the neighborhood of the shrine, and the main part of the ceremony starts at around 10:00. Originally, it is the ritual to take over the festival duty. It attracts not only the people involved, but also the mayor and other people as guests. In front of all of them is a table with a mountain of rice on it. First, a mountain priest appears, followed by an ogre called “Gouriki 強力”. “Gouriki” is wearing a straw sash all over his body and holding a two-pronged staff. Then they stand in front of each of them and say a platitude. “Eat and drink 33 cups of sake, 5 cups of hot water, and 75 cups of rice. This is the rule. Do not leave a single bowl uneaten. No one can drink and eat like this. But the participants say “yes” and bow down. The mountain priest takes a pinch of rice and puts it in the guest’s mouth. Then he says, “Do you understand? Then congratulate in honor of Gouriki.” Then he orders the ” Gouriki”. The “powerful” will then offer a few words. If the person is in charge of the festival, he will tell them how to run the festival. If the person is the mayor, he will tell him to recover quickly from the disaster. To newlyweds, he would say, “The number of children is decreasing these days. Have a lot of children.” Then he holds his head down with the two-pronged staff in his hand. They repeated this for each of the guests.

Ending

The roles of “Gouriki” and Yamabushi are played by ordinary local people. Although they play the roles, they speak out against the mayor and other influential people. They can’t just say the same thing every time to liven things up. It seems that they have their own difficulties. They say they break out in a cold sweat every time. This ritual has come to be held in the same way as the Nikko event. However, it is a traditional event that has continued since the 14th century. I hope it will continue. There is Nikko, a world heritage site, nearby. Toshogu Shrine is worth a visit.

Date: 7th, January every year
Location: 1-2-7 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Access: From Toranomon station (subway, Ginza line) within 1 minutes walk,

What are the seven deities of Good Fortune?

All of the above are from Edo-period merchants’ advertising fliers.

　It seems that Japanese people are considered to be lax about religion. Sometimes, they say that Japanese are even described as irreligious. I have mentioned this before on this site. One of the reasons for this is that the Japanese are polytheists by nature. When Japan accepted Buddhism, people faced the conflict with their original religion (which I now call Shinto). Therefore, people came up with the theory of “Shinto-Buddhist syncretism. They said that God and Buddha are the same. This theory continued on and on until the Meiji Restoration (1861). The best example of this is the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. This belief introduces seven deities that signify happiness as one group and began in the late 15th and 16th centuries.
The seven deities are Ebisu, Daikoku, Hotei, Bishamonten, Benzaiten, Fukurokuju and Jurojin, seven in all.
The Seven Deities of Fortune in Japanese Mythology has the following characteristics :
Ebisu (恵比寿): the deity of success in business (The country of origin is Japan)
Daikoku (大黒): the deity of commerce, agriculture, and prosperity (The country of origin is India)
Hotei (布袋): the deity of happiness, contentment, and good fortune (The country of origin is China)
Bishamonten (毘沙門天): the deity of war and victory (The country of origin is India)
Benzaiten (弁財天): the deity of financial fortune, music, and art (The country of origin is India)
Fukurokuju (福禄寿): the deity of wisdom, luck, and longevity (The country of origin is China)
Juroujin (寿老人): the deity of longevity (The country of origin is China)
As you can see, they have different origins and different sources. There is only one deity of Japanese origin, Ebisu. Moreover, there are many complications such as assuming that Daikoku (大黒) and Okuninushi (大国主 Japanese deity) are the same because they are pronounced the same. (大国 can be pronounced “Daikoku”). There are both shrines and Buddhist temples where they are enshrined.
Of course, these are beliefs that have spread among the common people, so nobody has officially decided on them. Since the seventeenth century, they have taken on the currently known form and have been popular ever since. Today, each region has its own shrines and temples dedicated to the seven deities of good fortune, and a tour of the seven deities of good fortune during the New Year is a common sight.

Why is this shrine located at the center of Tokyo ?

The “Seven deities of Good Fortune Procession” that this site introduces is held at Toranomon Kotohira Shrine. The Kotohira Shrine is a famous shrine in Kagawa Prefecture that everyone knows. This is a branch shrine built by inviting a deity from there. It is located at Toranomon. It’s location is not too much to say right in the center of Tokyo. It is right next to Kasumigaseki, where the National Diet Building and other central government offices are located. Toranomon Hospital, which is just a minute’s walk away, is where the Prime Minister and other famous people are hospitalized. As a result, the area is surrounded by a forest of buildings. The reason why there is a shrine in such a place is that this area was once home to a series of feudal lords’ residences, and the feudal lords of what is now Kagawa Prefecture built the local Kotohira Shrine here, which has remained without change.

What else will take place besides the Seven Lucky Deities Parade?

※This article is based on the year 2015. However, the program will basically remain the same.
The parade of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune that we wanted to see started at 11:00. But there is no harm in going early. There are many other events besides the parade. One of them is the performance of Edo Sato kagura. It starts at 10:00. This fixed time is one of the characteristics of this place. This is something peculiar to business districts. The first performance was “Sanbaso” in 2015. This is also originally from Noh, and is often performed in Kabuki. When it is performed in Kagura, the performers often wear hats with bright red circles, costumes with crane designs, and long sleeves. Hagiwara troupe performs. This troupe is prestigious, so the dance is elegant. About 45 minutes.

1st Parade ~Are the Japanese really so devoid of religion?

The content can also be enjoyed on video→https://youtu.be/paxVq84l6r0

At eleven o’clock, the procession of the seven gods of good fortune that you are looking for begins. The procession takes place twice a day, and this is the first one. There are two entrances to the temple grounds. The procession comes from one of them where three stalls are standing.

First up was the lion dance. A New Year’s tradition. The head of the lion is also gold, an auspicious look. There is a legend that if you ask a lion to bite your head, you will be happy, so if you meet one, be sure to offer your head. Next, the seven deities of good fortune continued to appear.

Hotei was originally a Chinese monk who was modeled after several real people. The image is that they carry a large sack, bare their large bellies, and travel in poor attire. He wears light clothes even in winter, but legend says that strangely enough, it never snowed around him. Jurojin and Fukurokuju are very similar because they were originally one deity that split into two. However, while Jurojin has the appearance of a noble old man in China, he is also characterized by an unusually long head.

Ebisu and Daikoku have appeared many times on this site. Ebisu catches sea breams with his fishing rod, while Daikoku brings good fortune with the mallet he carries. Benzaiten is the only female deity. She is said to bestow arts and wealth.

Bishamonten is the god of war. Originally, he is one of the four guardian deities protecting the Buddha. However, his name changes to “Tamonten” at that time. Complicated? Don’t worry about it. Even Japanese people don’t know much about it. Behind them are the familiar entertainers, Hyottoko and Okame.

At this situation, it seems almost like a red carpet, although there are no screams of excitement. The staff announced, “We have a little more time for photos. The star line-up doesn’t change every year. After this, they all gather in front of the stage and performed the Hyottoko and Okame dances. About 40 minutes. If you miss it here, don’t worry. The Seven Lucky Gods will appear again later.

You can enjoy the afternoon

The content can also be enjoyed on video→https://youtu.be/q_8GYk038qA

At 1:30 in the afternoon, the event resumed again, starting with Kagura. This is the story of a sword smith. The emperor asks him to make a sword, and the master smith forges it every day. At the last moment, a god appears and breathes his soul into the sword.

Now the enthusiasm again

The parade starts again at 2:00 p.m. Even though it’s the second time, it’s just as exciting as the first. There are as many people as the first time.

The second time, the flow is almost the same. A photo session in front of the main shrine (actually, the seven deities of good fortune don’t go in front of the main shrine for the photo session, they go to worship.) Then they all line up in front of the stage. And the Hyottoko and Okame perform a fun dance.

What is different from the first time is that folk dances and the stage performances of slightly different tricks are performed. This site is not the place to go into details of these unusual arts, but they are worth seeing at least once. Please come and enjoy it.

You should see this performance

The content can also be enjoyed on video→https://youtu.be/egUg2D1wS0Q

Among the Seven deities of Good Fortune, the most popular duo is Ebisu and Daikoku. And they have a performance that every Japanese person knows. In the case of Ebisu, he uses his fishing line to catch a sea bream. The sea bream is a fish that symbolizes celebrations. While in the case of Daikoku, it is said that if he waves the mallet, good fortune will immediately appear. On the other hand, if Ebisu catches a sea bream, nothing will happen. Actually the sea bream is just a fake attached to the end of a hook. Nonetheless, when he catches a sea bream, people go into a frenzy. They fight to touch the snapper (even if it is fake).

And when Ebisu warms up the people enough, Daikoku comes out and literally brings good fortune out of his mallet. However, only cheap sweets are thrown. If you want to buy them, you can buy them at a nearby store. But people still fight to get their hands on these small blessings.

At the end

Until the 3rd, it is still in the festive New Year’s mood, and until the 7th, it is said to be within the period of celebrating New Year’s. As a way to mark the end of the year (although few people do this anymore), there is a custom of eating “nanakusa-gayu”(seven herb rice porridge) on the 7th. On New Year’s, TV personalities also wear kimonos. The number of people wearing kimonos increases in the town. It is also a time when the so-called “Japaneseness” of the country overflows. Not only the seven deities of good fortune, but also various other events are held. It might not be a bad idea to experience the Japanese New Year at least once.

Date: 16 August every year
Location: Hikari town Musho, Sosa district, Chiba prefecture
Access: It takes 4.5 kilometers from Yokoshiba station (JR Sobu line) Yokoshiba is about 1.5 to 2 hours from Tokyo by train.

prologue

　It is often said that Japan is a country without religion. Therefore, I have heard that when people from overseas asked, “What religion do you believe in? “, Japanese people are often at a loss for an answer, and are often surprised. Since this site is about festivals, Shinto events often appear. This is because the word “Matsuri (festival)” originally means to worship the deities. However, funerals and other events are conducted under Buddhism. To be precise, some people say that Confucian forms are also involved. In the New Year, we visit shrines, in the summer we have a Buddhist event called “Obon (the event that ancestors return at this time of year)”, and in the winter we celebrate Christmas. There is also a joking way of saying that. But on the other hand, there is this story. A road side was troubled with garbage being thrown away. As a countermeasure, the people concerned set up a small “torii” (a gate at the entrance of a shrine, used as a landmark to indicate that from here it is the domain of the gods). As a result, no more garbage was thrown away.
　In the first place, God and Buddha have been one and the same in Japan since ancient times. Setsubun is an event held at both shrines and temples. This happened because of the arrival of Buddhism in Japan in the 6th century. The leaders of the time were thinking, “As a civilized nation, we want to spread Buddhism.” However, they could not force people to abandon their original faith. So they came up with the idea that God and Buddha are the same. They said that God is the temporary form of Buddha in this country. This idea lasted until the 19th century.

Hell

　However, Buddhism is the one that Japanese people have believed in the most. Because it answered the biggest question of all, “What happens when we die?” Buddhism say “there is paradise and hell”. So the various schools of Buddhism have competed to propagate the idea of how to avoid hell and go to paradise. In the Christian world as well, there is a wide variety of images of demons while there is little variation in the designs of angels, and while most pictures of paradise are just a line of Buddhas, there are many variations of hell pictures. So many pictures of hell have been drawn and passed down through the generations.

　Blood Pond and Needle Mountain are probably the most common images of hell that every Japanese person has heard once.

Kiraigo 鬼来迎~The Miraculous Legacy

　And the various schools of Buddhism performed plays as well as paintings and storytelling as part of their missionary work. Most of them have fallen into disuse, but miraculously the one here at Kosaiji 広済寺Temple has solely survived. It is said that its origin dates back to the Kamakura period. It is miraculous that this is the only place in Japan that still retains this type of event, but what is even more surprising is that there are currently only 25 houses in this area.

Main story

　

The start time is approximately 3:00 in the afternoon. (However, since there are greetings at the beginning and so on, the actual start time is around four o’clock.) It is almost four kilometers from the station, and there are few buses. The surrounding area is only rice fields as far as the eye can see. However, on this particular day, the roads around the entrance become congested because most people come by car. So uniformed police are even serviced to control the traffic.

　The stage is a steep cliff covered with grass. In the past, there was a building called “Jizo-do” there, which was used as the stage, but the earthquake destroyed it. Nowadays, people build the stage in a corner of the slope and use it by covering the surrounding area with grass. There are about 60 chairs lined up in front of the stage. Behind them are standing room only. And in the last row, many tripods with cameras are lined up. After the greetings, the first event is for the demoness to wish the child good health. In this event, the demoness holds the child in her arms and shouts, “Go-o!”
　*It is one of the most famous events in this event, but there used to be trouble over it. Parents would take pictures of the demoness holding their children nearby. So far, this is a very natural process. But then, an amateur photographer behind them said, “You’re in my way. Get out of the way. This became a big problem. Some people, especially retired elderly people with high-end cameras do this. There is also a local train running near here, which is very photogenic, but I see a number of warning signs posted there as well. They say, “Please do not obstruct the train service,” “Please do not photograph schoolchildren in an indecent manner,” etc. I once saw an old man who boasted that he would change his personality if he got a camera. This is one of the evils of the camera scene in Japan. This has nothing to do with our readers, but I dare to complain about it here.

1st stage ~The opening act

　Suddenly there is a noisy sound and the curtain slips open. The play was about to begin. The noisy sound is a rare instrument called a “nyobatsu,” which looks like a large cymbal.
　Then the curtain slips open. The first character to appear is “Enma”. This is like a judge who decides where the deceased will go, and is the king of hell. Parents often tell their children, “If you tell a lie, Enma will pull out your tongue. He walks lifting his legs high and glares at the surroundings.

　The next one is “Gushoujin”. He is like a scribe who rides on a person’s shoulders and records all their good and bad deeds before they die. Therefore, he has a writing brush in his hand.

And then there’s demoness called “Datsue-baba”, who appeared earlier to pray for her child’s health. It is said that there is a river called the “River of Sands” on the border between this world and the other world. In front of that river is this old woman. She is said to be a being who strips the dead of their clothes.
　However, since the Heian period (9th~11th Century), the custom of sending coins to the dead has spread, as people believe that if they give this woman six coins, they will be able to have a safe boat ride. In the 16th century, there was a famous warlord who used this six-mon coin as his banner to show his determination to “hide his death at all times on the battlefield. This is an aside episode, though. Let me return to the main story.
　And finally, the red and blue ogres. They are the ones who are actually responsible for blaming and punishing the dead in hell. This is the all-star lineup of hell.

　

　Demoness and the ogres sue to Enma about how bad the deceased was in life. All the while, the king sits motionless. Eventually, the Great King asks the Gushoujin by his side, “Is this appeal correct? Gushojin replies, “This is a very bad person”. This is end of the first act.

2nd stage ~Sai-no-kawara (Children’s Limbo)

　

　When the curtain opens again, it is time for the “Sai no Kawara” scene. The “riverbank of Sai” is said to be the place where the dead children go. The children just pile up pebbles. If the stones reach a certain height, they will go to paradise. However, just before the pile is completed, an ogre comes and destroys it. Then they have to start all over again. The reason children are forced to do such unreasonable things is because it is considered the greatest misfortune to die before their parents. Then the children pile up the stones while saying “One for the father, two for the mother…”.

　”Don’t hate us, hate your parents” the ogres say. Suddenly, the Jizo Bodhisattva appears. The Jizo scatters away the ogres that are in his way and leaves with the children.

3rd stage ~The boiling hot iron cauldron

　

　The next act is the “boiling hot iron cauldron” scene. The demons are tormenting the dead by placing them in the boiling water.
“Is it boiled yet?” “No, not yet.”
　The point of this play is to show the inhumanity of the demons.

　”That’s enough,” the ogres say as they pull the deceased out of the cauldron and further beat him.

Mercy of Kannon Bodhisattva

　Then, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Kannon) appears. He appeals, “Free the deceased. But the ogres say, “This is a person who has been judged as a villain by the court of Enma. It is only natural to torment him. He has never visited a shrine or temple in his life, nor has he given a single penny to charity,” he, though an ogre, says in a strangely Buddhist manner.

　

“What you say is true,” Kannon has to admit. But “I will take his sins upon myself,” he says, leaving the stupa behind and taking the deceased away.
The demons are frustrated, “So has he become a Buddha?” This is the end of the whole story.

　

　The performance lasted about one hour. People were leaving in waves.
The chairman of the preservation society told us the following story. It is indeed very difficult for this small village to maintain it. Above all, the biggest problem is the lack of successors. However, recently, in addition to subsidies from the national and prefectural governments, there are young people who are willing to help. Two of them are making their debut today, he said.
This is a valuable art form that has been around since the 12th century. In other words, we can see the same performance today as people did in that era. It is a miraculous event, and I would like to end this article with the hope that it will continue to be preserved in the future.

　　Hollywood movies are simply interesting. These movies are made with huge production costs, using talent from all over the world to focus solely on entertaining people. They can’t be boring. However, human beings may think , “Well, they are interesting”, but there’s not much left to enjoy. I want to see something more social” and so on. Of course, Hollywood movies can be empty, but the general image is one of great entertainment. Deeper movies can be seen in the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, for example. The film which gets the grand prix at these festivals has an image of the complete opposite of Hollywood. There are many films that make you think after seeing them. Nevertheless, the strength of their message can be a burden. In the worst case, it can make you sleepy. Movie fans go back and forth between the two.

　In Japan, there is “Edo sato kagura” which is in the genre of Kagura, a traditional performing art. It is almost exclusively performed in Tokyo and the surrounding areas. But it is not popular and is hardly known. It does not hold the elements of entertainment like “Iwami kagura”, and it does not have a local following like “Hayachine kagura.” These are held in obscurity at the corner of a shrine in the Shrine Festival . When I went to see a Edo sato kagura one day in Yokohama, there were only a few people . This situation is not usual but it is almost always held in such conditions. Many people aren’t aware it is being performed. Sometimes even the staff of the shrine doesn’t know! Although it gets a lot of influence from Noh, most Japanese people don’t differentiate Edo sato kagura from Noh…. As I write this, I am becoming sad.

　Why isn’t “Edo sato kagura” popular? Is it really boring? Isn’t it worth seeing? I will try to verify this now. Now, I will give you a rudimentary knowledge about “Edo sato kagura”. After that, I will teach you how to enjoy it.

History

Edo is the old name of Tokyo. The region that “Edo sato kagura” is held is around Tokyo. Tokyo is located almost the center of the main island called “Honshu (本州)”. This region is called “Kanto (関東)”, which consists of seven prefectures, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Chiba, Saitama, Kanagawa and Tokyo. The Kanto region’s kagura was originally introduced from the Izumo region (The Izumo region is the eastern area of Shimane prefecture). The Shinto priest at Sada shrine in the Izumo region learned “Noh” in Kyoto and he created the new art of kagura. This is the origin of “Izumo kagura”. After the Introduction to the Kanto area, two styles developed. One consisted of isolated programs and rituals, another was performed as a historical play like theater. The historical play was performed by a professional group called “Shachu 社中”. They perform Kagura in shrines after being invited. This is the origin of “Edo sato kagura” today.

Where can we watch “Edo sato kagura” ?

“Edo sato kagura” is performed by professional groups called “Shachu (社中)” today as well, so we can watch each festival at shrines. Japan’s festivals are held most often in spring and autumn, followed by summer, and least in winter. In spring, the Japanese hope for a good harvest as they enter the rice planting season, and in autumn, they give thanks for the harvest. The meaning of each festival is to pray for the prevention of plagues in summer and for the revival of the sun in winter. Generally speaking, spring and autumn festivals are held in many places in Japan, but in eastern Japan, Kagura tends to be performed in spring, while in western Japan, it tends to be performed more in autumn or later.

A few more details

There are four shachu as national intangible cultural assets in Edo-sato Kagura: Matsumoto (松本), Ishiyama (石山), Wakayama (若山), and Mamiya (間宮) . In addition, there are several other famous groups, such as Hagiwara (萩原) group. Each of them has its own territory. For example, the Hagiwara group is invited by shrines in the Shinjuku area, while the Mamiya group is invited for festivals at shrines in the Shinagawa area. They go out there and perform a kagura or simply enliven it with a musical performance.

Edo sato Kagura is performed approximately three times a day. Each performance lasts from about 30 minutes to no more than one hour. In some cases, a related storyline is followed in the performance, and in other cases, completely unrelated programs are performed. Sometimes the time is posted on the stage, and sometimes there is no indication of the program. And I think this is the biggest problem: after one program, there is a two-hour gap between performances. There are various reasons for this, such as the return of the portable shrine that left the shrine, but many times I have seen people who wanted to continue watching the show, but they got tired of waiting because it didn’t start for a long time. I wonder what can be done about it.

Another thing that may keep audiences away from Kagura is the fact that there are some unique rules and regulations that are not communicated to the audience. For example, if the performer sits down and hides his face with a fan, it is a sign that the performer is asleep. This is rather easy to do, so you might be able to see it for the first time. However, some techniques take a bit longer. For example, there is a scene in which the servant is ordered by his master to fetch a bottle of wine and other things, and for some reason the servant dances his way out, which is a kind of “Hakobi (it means carrying)” rule and has no deep meaning. It’s just a way of giving the supporting actors a chance to show off their skills or maybe it’s just a little break in a serious scene. However, the characters seem to go so far out of their way that it’s quite common for the audience to be confused.

Play of “Bohi joshi”

The content can also be enjoyed on video→https://youtu.be/SwjTADLdDVI　and https://youtu.be/fVu2-9KTDX8

So let’s take a look at one specific stage from here. The program is “Bohijoshi (菩比上使)”. To put it simply, it is a play about handing over the country in Japanese mythology. The lord of the Ashiwaramizuho-no-kuni receives a messenger from Amaterasu of the Amatsu-kuni (state), asking him to hand over the country to the lord. In conclusion, three messengers come, and in the end, the Lord is defeated by force and gives up　the country. (cf. Reference →Japan mythology and history) The first messenger is known as “Ameno-Bodhi”. The title “Bohi” is derived from the name of this messenger. In the mythology, Bohi became a retainer after being pardoned by the lord of the country, but in the Kagura, the story goes that the lord’s son, Takeminakata, tried to kill Bohi by getting him drunk. Originally, in mythology, Takeminakata appears when he confronts the third messenger. He would fight the third messenger as a warrior against handing over his country. It is clear that the story of Kagura is not entirely true to the mythology.

　This is a rather common performance, and I will try to compare the four Kagura groups. This time, I would like to compare four Kagura companies: the Wakayama troupe, the Saito troupe, the Hisaizu Shrine group, and the Hagiwara troupe. (Hagiwara troupe only refers to the second half.) Except for Hagiwara Shachu, the mask is basically the same. They are probably based on the same mold

Takeminakata

　The first thing that happens is that Takeminakata appears. They are all using Kyougen masks of the “Buaku” style.

Retainer (Modoki or Hyottoko)

　Next comes the servants, all of them are wearing masks with the comical role of ” Hyottoko” (modoki). However, only the Saito troupe has two people appear. The others just appear, but this is the only one which the two of them first have comic exchanges.

　　

Ameno-bohi

　Then comes the third character, Amenobohi, who also appears in the title. All of the troupes use a mask based on a Noh play called “Chujo”. However, only Hagiwara’s troupe uses a different type of mask.

　This mask was originally made for the role of a warlord who met a tragic end, and features a carving on the forehead that expresses melancholy. The use of this mask implies the tragic end of this person. In this way, Edo kagura often uses masks from Noh and Kyogen, which is one of the reasons why it is difficult to distinguish it from Noh.
*One way to distinguish between Noh and Kagura is that Noh uses a musical instrument called a tsuzumi (hand drum) and includes a song called “utai (chanting)” as well as dialogues. In Kagura, except for a few cases, there are no dialogues. Basically, everything is performed in mute pantomime.
　

Musical accompaniment

　These three (four) people alone will proceed with the performance. They do all their acting in mime. The musical accompaniment conveys all the emotions and the mood of the scene. Most of them consist of two drummers and a flute player. There is no particular stage set, so it is difficult to understand without knowledge of the original mythology. Recently, some groups have begun to include a separate commentary.

Confronting

　After the introduction of the characters, the story begins with a visit from “Amenobohi. The story begins with a visit from “Amenobohi”, and Takeminakata’s retainer, Modoki, welcomes him. Modoki opens the door and does some other things. There is one more thing that is customary in Edo Kagura, the clapping of hands to signal that someone is calling. This is a scene that is often seen. The Takeminakata is just standing there, but only the Wakayama troupe’s Takeminakata is holding up his fan as if in some kind of alarm. Their faces are more expressive than the others, so their movements are also more expressive.

　And then they meet. The scene of the first meeting is filled with the feeling of tension, with both men bend their heads back slightly. Eventually, Takeminakata offers to sit next to him, and they finally sit down. Amenobohi then makes an offer to give up the kingdom. In addition, the stance of Amenobohi (and consequently, the Amatsu-kuni) make audience to feel their arrogance. Of course, there is no way Takeminakata will accept this offer. He interrupts the meeting, and Amenobohi leaves once.

Stratagem

　The Takeminakata side ponders what to do about the proposal, which is not easy to accept. There is also a comical moment when Modoki as retainer falls asleep while thinking about it. If you look at it calmly, you may wonder why Takeminakata has continued to use such an unreliable-looking retainer, but he plays a very important role in the progress of the play. Originally, Kagura was performed as a form of entertainment for the common people. If it were only serious, it would not be appropriate for a festival. Takeminakata comes up with a ruse that is typical of him. He wanted to get him drunk and beat him to death with one fell swoop. The action here is easy to understand for both Takeminakata and Modoki.

This is where the “carrying” scene comes in. It is a scene in which the attendant simply brings in sake, but the dance is accompanied by musical accompaniment. It is a kind of entertainment scene and has no deep meaning.

Banquet

　And finally, the banquet begins. Amenobohi, who had been holding fast to the suggestion, accepts the cup, saying, “Just one cup.” As soon as he drank all of it, Modoki pours him another cup. Bohee’s face shows his embarrassment. “Don’t hesitate,” Takeminakata said.

　Even Bohi, who has a confused expression on his face, reveals his innate love of alcohol as the drinking continues. This is a great example of good acting and masks that make you feel the expressions on the face. At the end of the performance in the Saito group’s case, Bohi drinks out of a large bowl instead of a cup. In this kind of performance, you can feel the expression on the face even though it is a motionless mask. This is partly due to the quality of the masks and partly due to the skill of the performers. The key to enjoying Edo sato kagura is to be able to sense these small details.

Dance performance

　Finally, the drunken Bohi is in a good mood and begins to dance. Each group has a different performance of the drunkenness. In some troupes, Bohi stumbles when he stands up or when he starts to dance. In the other troupes he stumbles while he dances. Let’s enjoy another virtuoso performance here. Bohi then sat down and held a fan in front of his face. This is a rule for staging a kagura performance where the performer is said to have fallen asleep.

Takeminakata pulled out his sword to see whether he has been really asleep. Finally, he ordered his retainer to “go ahead and do it.” Bohi, as expected, sensed the presence and quickly took action. He is not just a drunkard.

Battle

The content can also be enjoyed on video→https://youtu.be/8WWPesEX0QY

　 Takeminakata makes up his mind to accept that he has no choice without fighting now that his opponent is awake. He is not going to hand over their country so easily. Bohi pulls out his sword, and Takeminakata says, “Well, then. you should defeat my retainer first”. At this point, except for Saito troupe, Bohi gets ready by tucking up the sleeves of his kimono with a sash. The retainer makes a brave attempt to fight, but gets cold feet from the first. He is easily defeated, but it is admirable that he still makes a few attempts. But he’s no match for Bohi. This is a comical scene to ease the tension and entertain the audience. The retainer runs back saying “I’m not a match for him”. At last, the battle between the two is about to begin. The battle is different in each troupe. One side kneels down to receive the other’s sword, and now the other side. In such a way, an extremely stylized battle unfolds. Noh does not have such scenes, but rather is closer to the Kabuki style. Kabuki also has a large influence on Kagura such as strike swaggering pose. Finally, Takeminakata defeats Bohi. This is the same performance in every troupe. When Bohi swings his sword down, Takeminakata, a moment later, knocks it down from above.

Ending

　

After losing, Bohi gracefully admits defeat. The performing style of this scene varies depending on the performing troupe. One performer looks up at the heavens, while the other looks down at their sleeves and laments. This comes from a fineness of masks and performer’s acting. It is not a showy performance, but it is a scene where you can enjoy the virtuosity of the performers. Quietly enjoying these small parts is the peculiar feature of Edo Sato Kagura.
　

　Sure, it’s not fancy. This is not like a spectacle of Iwami Kagura that uses fire and so on. Nor is it as groovy as Hayachine Kagura. But it’s not just a matter of spending a lot of money on a movie full of CG. There are many movies in which you can enjoy the virtuoso performance. If you have a chance, please take a look. A shrine festival makes you feel happy just by being there. It’s not too late to find out if Edo sato Kagura is boring or not after seeing it with your own eyes.

Date: 15 July every year (Date fixed)

Location: Suwa shrine, Hakone town Miyagino 719, Ashigara county, Kanagawa prefecture

Access: from Odawara (JR) or Hakone Yumoto (Odakyu line or Hakone Tozan line) take Bus (bound for Tougendai 桃源台), at Miyagino Eigyosho 宮城野営業所

Introduction

　In the past few years, the number of overseas tourists visiting Japan has really increased. In the past, the number of visitors to Japan was so small that it is almost impossible to say that Japan was not interested in the tourism industry; the number of visitors finally reached 5 million in 2003, but it took about 11 years to reach 10 million. Recently, however, the government has made a serious effort to increase the number of visitors to Japan, and the number of visitors has reached w14 million in just three years.

　In Japan, there is a tourist route known as the Golden Route that connects Tokyo, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.
One of them, Hakone, is known as a hot spring resort in Japan, and is also a destination for school trips in elementary and junior high schools from neighboring areas. It is also one of the most important stations on the Tokaido 東海道 Highway, connecting Tokyo and Kyoto. The Tokugawa Shogunate, which was based in Edo (present-day Tokyo), designated Hakone as the final defense point to stop enemies attacking from the west, and it was also famous for the rigid checkpoint. However, even in such Hakone, lion dances are quietly preserved: at Sengokuhara (仙石原) in March, at Kintoki (金時) Shrine in May, and at Miyagino (宮城野) in July.

　These shishimai (lion dance) are called “Yutate” lion dances and are very rare events in Japan. “Yutate” is a ceremony, in which a large cauldron is set up in the festival site to boil water, a shimenawa rope to create a boundary surrounded around the cauldron, the surrounding area is decorated to welcome the gods, and the purified water offered to the gods. At the end of the ritual, one of the Shinto priests dips a sacred staff with strips of paper and bamboo leaves attached in the hot water and sprinkles it around.

Going to the shrine

　This time, I took a bus from Odawara. Odawara was not only the gateway to Hakone, but also a stronghold of the feudal lords who once ruled the Kanto region, and you can see the castle from the station (although it is a restored one). However, most surprisingly, almost all the passengers were tourists from overseas. There were only a couple of Japanese passengers, and all the passengers on the bus spoke English and French. We Japanese felt small. The bus enters the mountain road halfway up the winding road. When you get off the bus, there are banners announcing the Shishimai everywhere, so it’s easy to find your way. After passing through a residential area, you walk up a gentle slope for about ten minutes. When you see a bridge with a red railing, the shrine is just around the corner. There are two paths, called Otoko-zaka (the slope for men) and Onna-zaka (the slope for women) respectively. The slope for men is steeper and the slope for women is gentler, but either way, the climb is inevitable.

　From there, the shrine is at the top of the last long flight of stairs. It is the height of hot summer. Summer in Japan is hot and humid. The sun is shining and the heat will make you feel exhausted. However, when I reached the shrine, one of the staff of the ceremony said, “Thank you for your hard work,” and handed me a sports drink. This was a nice present.

Ceremony

The time was 2 p.m. The event had just begun. It begins inside the shrine. There are spectator seats on both sides facing the main shrine. The left side is covered with chairs, and the right side is covered with blue sheets. All other areas are separated by ropes, making it a sacred area. In front of the left side of the room, kindergarteners are accompanied by their teachers. In front of the main shrine, the lion’s head and the names of today’s performers are displayed. In fact, the biggest difference between this one in Miyagino and the other one in Sengokuhara is that the main performers are junior high school students. And all the adults play supporting roles.

Before the ceremony

The lion dance begins at 2:00 p.m., but it actually starts on January 7. On this day, the first rehearsal is said to begin. And the real practice starts a week before. In the evening of the day before, everyone gathers at the shrine and goes to the waterfall to bathe in water to purify themselves. This is repeated 12 times, and then at midnight a dance called “Tsuji-jime” is performed at several places in the village. This is a spell to ward off evil spirits. At dawn, when the dance is over, they go to the twelve designated shrines to pay their respects. Only after all of this is done, the lion dance comes back to the shrine.

Down into precinct

　After dedicating the dance inside the main shrine for about half an hour, the lion finally descended towards the shrine grounds. The lion wears a large curtain and has four legs, one in the front and one in the back. This is the basic form. In some cases, the performer in front holds the head with his or her hands, in another case, the performer wears it on his or her head.

　In the lion dance, every movement is strictly regulated. For example, the number of steps to be taken is fixed, and those who stand in front and those who stand behind must walk in unison through the shrine grounds.　

　Eventually, those behind step out of the curtain and roll the curtain to ease the burden in front. The performer in the back is slightly older than the one in the front. It is as if the older person is watching over the younger one. In this way, the lion stands alone and tours the small shrine (which is made of stone) within the shrine.

　At first they go to a small shrine to receive the “Gohei” (a wooden ritual wand with pair of white zigzag paper streamers) and repeat the same movements as before. After that, the lion takes a bell and a sword. The number of steps at this time seems to be all fixed, and the boy behind the lion counts “one, two, three” as they walks.

　The imbalance between the stern lion’s head and slender limbs. The boys’ expressions are still young, but they are all serious. For them, this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The people involved, and the audience, watch over them tenderly. The ceremony takes a short break.

Ceremony Part 2

　Three o’clock in the afternoon. After a short pause, the lions stand in pairs again, this time going around the large cauldron. The people concerned in the ceremony sprinkled salt. The climax was approaching. Here’s something to add, salt is not just a seasoning. Salt means to ward off evil, people often use it in various rituals. For example, when people come back from a funeral, it is customary for those of the house to sprinkle salt on those who return before they enter the house. There is also a belief that if salt is sprinkled in front of the house, it will become a purified barrier, preventing evil to enter. In sumo, one of Japan’s most popular sports, it is common to see sumo wrestlers sprinkling large amounts of salt. Since sumo originally originated as a Shinto ritual, this custom still remains.

　After a series of walks around the cauldron, the lion stands finally all alone. The performers in the back are completely out from the lion and the curtain is rolled up. The complete lion man, with his head ia lion, but his body human, stands here.

Offering “Yubana”

　The lion, now alone, goes through the final series of rituals. By this time, the fire in the cauldron is blazing hot more and more and the water is bubbling and boiling. At first the lion man takes a sword. The sword is used to purify the water in the cauldron. The next is the “Gohei”. He puts it into the boiling water and stirs it. The surrounding people chant and watch. The lion performer feels the heat and frantically performs, grasping the lion’s head with his own mouth

　Finally, he takes the bamboo leaves and goes to the shrine first. And finally, at last, he sprinkles boiling water (yubana 湯花) around as much as he can. The hot water (yubana) falls like a cloud mist over the heads of the audience, and the air around them is filled with steam. Strangely enough, nobody feels the heat when they catch the hot water. It is said that if people are covered by it, they will have good health for a year.

Final

　After this, the lion once again turns into a four-legged creature and performs a trick, and the whole process in precinct is over. At this point, many of the audience begin to prepare to leave. But the ritual still continues inside the main shrine. They perform the lion dance again.
　

　It is all over at 4:00 PM. The heat is still on.
“Phew! I’m finally done!”
These were the words that came out of the boys’ mouths. That’s what they must have honestly felt after the long, long ceremony that started in January. They had been forced to live a life of inconvenience due to their devotional purification, and had endured rigorous training. They must have felt a lot of tension. However, after completing the ceremony, they have grown stronger and stronger, and will pass it on to the next generation, just as their predecessors have been protecting them for hundreds of years.

　

　Don’t worry, there are plenty of buses to take you home. Just to Hakone-yumoto. This is the gateway to Hakone, so the town is full of souvenir shops. From there, we take the regular JR line home.
However, if you can, I recommend the Romance Car express train between Shinjuku and Hakone, although it is a bit more expensive. The first carriage has a special structure where the driver’s seat is on top of the train in order to realize the all-glass windows. It’s a great way to experience the feeling of traveling. It is also a favorite of children. I was no exception, but I have yet to ride on one for various reasons. These days, I feel that I should have at least one longing left. I ignore the voices that say, “You don’t really have money, do you?”

Information: https://www.hakone.or.jp/5725

　

Date: 18, September every year
Location: Sakanoshita 4-9, Kamakura city, Kanagawa prefecture (Goryo shrine)
Access: From Kamakura station, take Enoshima line (Enoden) to Hase station and take a five-minutes walk. Kamakura is about 1 hour from Tokyo by JR line.

There are many “Yokai” in Japan.

　In Japan, there are things called “Yokai”. Many people often translate it as “spirits”. This is not a mistake. However, since Japan is basically a polytheistic country, people sometimes perceive the deities as “spirits” as well. So what is a “yokai”? If you look at the letters (if you know “Kanji”), it means “something strange” or “something suspicious”. This given name is relatively new, and people originally called them “oni (ogre)”. The word “oni” comes from the old word “onu,” which means “hidden thing”. The people believed that there was another world besides the one they lived in, and that those who lived in that world sometimes appeared in front of the people (for example, at night). They also believed that wars and droughts were all their doings. Otherwise, people could not cope with the absurdity of everyday life. In addition, the idea that objects become monsters after a hundred years of use arose, and the variety increased even more. Already around the 7th century, paintings of oni were drawn. As the spread of Buddhism progressed, paintings of ogres began to appear more frequently to teach the lesson that people who did not believe in Buddhism would go to hell.

https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/s-exhibition/special/10309/%E7%89%B9%E5%88%A5%E5%B1%95%E3%80%8C%E5%A4%A7%E5%A6%96%E6%80%AA%E5%B1%95%E3%80%80%E5%9C%9F%E5%81%B6%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89%E5%A6%96%E6%80%AA%E3%82%A6%E3%82%A9%E3%83%83%E3%83%81%E3%81%BE%E3%81%A7%E3%80%8D/

　However, it was during the Edo period (17th C~early half of 19th C) that “yokai” were most developed. In this period, people enjoyed various kinds of yokai as objects of entertainment and also used them as tools to criticize the government. This is how “yokai” continues to be used today. People say that when they feel insecure about the times, a “yokai” boom occurs.

　This is how Japanese people have come to know yokai. In the Heian period (794-1185), people often met a procession of yokai at night.
There is an event in Kamakura that is evoking the procession of yokai. That is the “Menkake Procession 面掛行列”.

　The place is Goryo 御霊 Shrine in Kamakura. Kamakura is one of the leading tourist destinations, known as one of the three ancient capitals of Japan. Among the many shrines and temples, few people usually visited this shrine, and it is a quiet place that seems to have been forgotten. But not every September 18. The area around the shrine is closed to traffic, and many people line the streets. The reason is to see the strange procession.

Origin of the parade

　The reason why this day is in September is because it is said to be the anniversary of the death of Kamakura Gongoro, the god enshrined in this shrine. Gongoro was a warlord who was active in the 11th century, and was known for his bravery and courage. In Kabuki, he appears as hero. But the procession has nothing to do with Gongoro. There is a record that the procession was originally held at Hachiman Shrine, the center of Kamakura. According to the legend, Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate, got a woman other than his wife pregnant. Some say that the family joined the procession to protect Yoritomo, while others say that they were allowed to join the procession on this day only without formalities. In any case, this family was of low status, so they wore masks to hide their faces. However, because these are just legends, no one knows exactly what the truth is.

Going to see

　Kamakura is a small town. It is possible to walk from Kamakura station to the shrine, as it is only about 2 km. The surrounding area is lined with Zen temples, and the ocean is located nearby. If you want to take the train, transfer from JR Kamakura Station to the Enoden 江ノ電 train right next door, which takes about 5 minutes. Get off at Hase 長谷 Station. On weekends and holidays, it is as crowded as Shinjuku Station, the busiest station in Japan, but since Hase Station is the closest to the great Buddha (Daibutsu), many people get off the train, so don’t worry. The procession departs from the shrine and goes back and forth along “Hoshi-noi-dori 星の井通り” just in front of it. It’s a modest distance, so it’s easy to find a spot without rushing.

Procession

　When it was time to go, the sound of flutes and drums would be able to reach us. Finally, the procession begins. The masks don’t come instantly. Things that you can’t really understand unless you ask them about their origins are coming one after the other. The person leading the way looked like an Edo-period official. The people are carrying the portable shrine (mikoshi) quietly without any vigorous shouting. The musical accompaniment was also somewhat elegant. Children walked in with what looked like red streamers attached to the end of long sticks. People are wearing kimonos and hakama (Both are ancient Japanese folk costumes). The scenery is reminiscent of the illusion of an old samurai procession. Of course, no one has ever seen the real thing, but there are many reenactments of daimyo processions at festivals around the country.

In the meantime, the tengu-faced Sarutahiko (*1) finally arrives. It is a common sight to see him leading a festival procession, since legend has it that he led the way at the time of Ninigi’s descent in mythology(*2). In his tall geta (Japanese wooden clogs) and long ”Shakujo (monks staff made from metal) attire, he walks leisurely with a sound ting-a-ling.
*1 https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/2020/06/07/the-most-detailed-japanese-traditional-mask/
*2 https://discoverdeeperjapan.com/reference/japan-mychology-and-history/

　The lion comes next, but instead of wearing a mask like a normal lion, it is placed on top of the head. It’s a little different in every way. Finally, in the middle of the procession, a group of oddly shaped people wearing the masks we were looking for arrived. The excitement of the people is at its peak. Dressed in matching outfits, the “yokai” parade through the streets in broad daylight. Ten in all. Each of them is as unique as the other members of the group. They paraded through the streets without looking at anyone in the eye at all.

Masks

From the top to the bottom, there’s “Jijii 爺 (old man),”Oni 鬼 (ogre)”, “Igyo 異形 (variant)”, “Hananaga 鼻長 (long nose)”, “Karasu tengu 烏天狗 (crow billed Tengu)”, “Okina 翁 (aged man)”, “Hifuki-otoko 火吹き男 (fire breathing man), “Fukuroku 福禄 (prosperity and long life)” and “Toriage 取り上げ (midwife)”, “Okame おかめ (woman)” who is the main characters of the day.

　Why these masks were chosen is a mystery. Still, it is a strange sight to see again and again. The specters walked the streets as if they owned the place, while the humans played a supporting role. They pass by in silence. However, when I look at them like this, I feel as if I can hear their voices.

　They go to Hoshinoi Street and come back again. But the madness doesn’t last long. People don’t allow them to occupy the town all day long. After about 20 minutes, they return to the shrine. People follow them, trying to bask in as much of the afterglow as possible.

　The portable shrine is quickly dismantled and the oddly-looking group disappears. They were kind enough to put their masks back on and take pictures with us. But that was only for a short time. The lion’s head returns to its original position, and daily life returns.

　The masks are in the collection of the Gallery of Treasures, so you can see them if you wish. But, they are just quiet and silent.

Reference: https://youkosonihon.com/2018/03/17/menkake-gyouretsu-menkake-parade-kamakura/
Contact information: http://www.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/visitkamakura/en/
　　　　　　　　　　

Date: 4th Sunday, April (Spring festival) & 4th Sunday, October (Autumn festival)
Location: Honjo 1-1562, Ashikaga city, Tochigi prefecture
Access: From Tokyo, take the JR Ueno-Tokyo Line to Ueno. From there, change to the Joban Line and go to Kuki. From there, take the Tobu Railway to Ashikaga-shi Station. It is about 4 km from there. About two hours from Tokyo.

*This article is based on my visit in April, 2016.

introduction

This time, we had the same guides as before. If you want to know who they are, please read this article.

Ashikaga city’s history

*Actually, it turned out to be a terrible mistake. This is the author’s actual experience.

Let’s go to shrine

*The actual start was at 9:00.
It’s no use crying over spiled milk. Let’s get ourselves together.

8th program “Kanayamahiko”

*The following dialogues of the characters are only imaginary. The actual Kagura is performed entirely in pantomime.

While this was going on, Kanayamahiko left the stage, as if he finally had a sword that he was satisfied with.

9th program “Ebisu”

*Here’s a little additional explanation. Ebisu is the deity of fishing and also the god of prosperity. He is known for always carrying his fishing gear and a sea bream.

*Ebisu face means smiling face. It is often used to describe the smiling faces that people make when something good happens, especially in business.

Intermission

10th program “Daikoku”

*This is a fact. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those involved.

“Inari and White foxes”

“Hachiman”

Ending “Sanjin”

After this, I heard they went for a walk around Ashikaga City.

reffer→Ashikaga City Tourist Association site