TsukuBlog A Local Perspective on Life in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.

A Look at Moon-Viewing ( O-Tsukimi, お月見) in Japan

By Avi Landau

 

When they followed their traditional LUNISOLAR calendar, now referred to as the kyu-reki (旧暦, former calendar) or inreki (陰暦), the Japanese were always in tune with the MOON and its PHASES. In fact, under that old system of ordering the days, months and seasons  ( first introduced to Japan from Tang China via  Korea sometime in the mid- 6th century), the days of the month were directly connected to the moons waxing and waning. Thus, it was possible on many specific dates to predict the shape that the moon would take in the sky on that particular night. Most famously, the FULL MOON (満月、mangetsu) would always appear on the night of the 15th (ju-go-ya, 十五夜) of each month.

Since the Japanese government of the Meiji Period ( a time of rabid Westernization and modernization) decided to drop this old lunisolar calendar  in favor of the solar based Gregorian one( in 1873), consciousness of the moon and its cycle  has been ON THE WANE, as the dates of the NEW CALENDAR no longer coincide with the lunar phases. Thus, even though some modern Japanese calendars DO show the KOYOMI dates (in hard to notice, small print) , it is still easy to lose track of when important traditional ceremonies  are coming up. It is ironic, that  it is now CONVENIENCE STORES (an institiution which can be said to bear great responsibility in the precipitous demise of traditional lifestles and family relationships), which help remind the general public about the coming of one of Japan`s MOST ANCIENT AND ENDEARING CUSTOMS-  O-Tsukimi ( お月見, Moon-Viewing). They do this by setting up displays ( which look charmingly home-made) featuring the iconic symbols of the event-  moons and rabbits ( according to Japanese and Chinese legend,  there is a rabbit on the moon!), Tsukimi-Dango ( moon shaped rice dumplings) and Chinese moon cakes, as well as stalks of real pampas grass (susuki, 薄).

Though the moon`s beauty can be appreciated at any time of year, in Japan doing so is strongly connected with AUTUMN. In fact , in Haiku poetry the word moon- TSUKI (月), by itself , is a keyword indicating the fall. This is not only because at that time of year temperatures and weather conditions are at their most suitable  for such outdoor activity at night, but also because, in the northern hemisphere, the moon seems to be especially large and NEAR to us during the autumn months.

For the Japanese, whose culture is so connected to the changing of the seasons and the appreciation of natural beauty, viewing this autumn moon ( the Harvest Moon, in English) came to be one of the most cherished and anticipated activities of the year!. There was (is) even the saying- HARU WA HANA- AKI WA TSUKI- in spring cherry blossoms, in autumn the moon! Countless works of art, especially in poetry and painting  focused on the moon as its major motif, suggesting not only beauty, but continuous change, and even revival. Here is one very famous ( and anonymous) classical poem which expresses the SPECIAL  joy of viewing  the moon in mid-autumn:

Tsukizuki ni tsuki miru tsuki wa oo keredo tsuki miru tsuki wa kono tsuki no tsuki ( 月々に月見る月は多けれど月見る月はこの月の月) , which I translate, using the word moon to mean both MONTH and MOON, as it does in Japanese-

Moon after moon  there are so many moons to be viewed, but as for   a MOON-VIEWING moon there is none other than this moon`s moon!

According to the traditional calendar, the months of autumn are the 7th, 8th and 9th, months. These roughly correspond to the Gregorian late August, September, October and early November. The custom of viewing the mid-autumn full moon (仲秋名月, chu-shu-meigetsu),  which appears in the sky on the 15th day of 8th month (sometime in September or October according to the new calendar) while eating , drinking and  composing and reciting poetry, was introduced to Japan from China. The oldest record of such a formal Chinese- style Moon-Viewing party held by the Japanese Imperial Court dates back to the year 856 ( the third year of the Emperor Saikou). However, many scholars believe that the Japanese people had been making offerings to the moon, in order to pray for or give thanks for a good harvest, since LONG BEFORE the Chinese style celebrations were introduced.

The reason for assuming this, is that among the common people ( and later for anyone doing  Tsuki-Mi), it was (and still is) the custom  to offer SATO-IMO (里芋), taro,  to the moon in this season , as part of a general rite of prayer called the HATSUHO-MATSURI (初穂祭り, Festival of the First Harvest）. In fact, an alternate name for the mid-autumn full moon is the TARO-FULL-MOON (IMO-MEIGETSU. 芋名月）, which might just very well be a LIVING CONNECTION with Japans prehistoric, pre-rice cultivating past, when the taro was the staple food of the inhabitants of these islands.

Another indication that there was a native Japanese version of the Chinese custom of moon-viewing is the fact that in Japan, it is considered incomplete, or even UNLUCKY to do TSUKI-MI only on the 15th day of the 8th month ( the day the Chinese do it). Doing so is called KATAMI-TSUKI (片見月）, literally, a half-viewed moon. For a full and satisfactoryTSUKI-MI one also had to view the moon and make offerings  on the 13th DAY OF THE 9th MONTH ( called- Ju-san-ya, 十三夜）. It is possible that before the Chinese custom of formal moon-viewing was introduced that the Japanese had a similar custom, involving offerings and supplications to the moon, which took place about one month later. It has also been  suggested by commentators, that the shape of the moon on the 13th ( 十三夜), not quite, but  just nearly full, is more appealing to the aesthetic sensibilities of the Japanese!

Anyway, no matter what the origins, people continue to do tsukimi to this day. Whereas the Chinese have a national holiday and celebrate by eating large, round moon cakes ( to symbolize family unity), the Japanese make offerings to the moon ( by leaving them in a place exposed to the moon-light) of seasonal crops ( chestnuts, persimons, taro, apples), seasonal plants ( bush clover, etc.) and little round rice dumplings called Tsuki-mi dango. Usually 15 ( for the 15th night) or 12 ( for 12 months of the year) of these dango are placed in a traditional tray called a SANBO (三方) . One very  interesting folk belief related to these dango is that your family will have good luck ( and a good harvest) if these little sweets are stolen from your offering tray! Thus, moon-viewing night was an exciting time for kids, who would be permitted, or even encouraged, to steal the neighbors dango. These kids were (are ) called O-Tsuki-Mi Dorobo ( お月見泥棒）。

An essential element for any Tsukimi event is some pampas grass. One thing that stands out in my memory is that every year at moon viewing time, the 7-11 near Doho Park, in Tsukuba, gives out free susuki to any one who wanted it .

The significance of this plant is not only its being emblematic of the season. It also resembles rice stalks (though much larger, they are a member of the same family), and thus, moon viewing offerings symbolically connect the old slash and burn agriculture of prehistoric Japan ( the taro) with the culture of rice ( by the presence of susuki and the rice dumplings, in former times the real rice would not have been harvested yet). Susuki also has prickly leaves and stems on its leaves and is sharp where it is cut off, making it useful for symbolically driving away evil.

Most importantly, the stalks act as YORISHIRO (依代), antennae which attract the spirit of the moon to the offerings ( at New Years Kadomatsu, bamboo and pine decorations, are yorishiro- and on childrens day the poles of the carp streamers (Koi nobori) originally had the same function.

Last night as I watched the Tsuchiura fireworks from afar. I was lucky enough to be able to occassionally see the mid-autumn moon whenever the clouds presented an opening. The people around me were all alternately viewing the Hanabi and the moon. It is hard to say which was more entrancing. Standing where we were, amid the  fields of pamapas grass was a truly moving Tsukimi experience.

If the moon can fill modern man( for whom it is merely a PIECE OF ROCK orbiting around the Earth), with such wonder, imagine how mysterious and even awesome it was to those who had no scientific explanation for it.

Besides providing precious light at night, the Japanese realized that the moon did have an influence on the world around them, the tides, the activities of animals (sea turtles lay their eggs on full moon nights), etc. They also felt a strong connection between the moon and womens menstrual cycles and by extension childbirth.

It is because of this that in Japan, besides the autumn moon viewing events, there were regularly held prayer meetings on particular days of the month ( depending on the community). In Tsukuba, such meetings ( O-Koh, お講) are still held on the 19th of the month. Numerous sacred stones attest to the fact that other nights were once popular for holding these  gatherings at which women prayed for easy delivery and family health. Probably the most common of these stones commemorate prayers on the 23rd night  (二十三夜).

If you didnt do Tsukimi last night, you still have the chance next month.You too can join the minion of LUNATICS. In fact, the moon-viewing afficionados of old would enjoy not only the  full moon of the 15th, but also, in their uncontrollable anticipation, watch the 14th night moon. This night was called MACHIYOI (待宵), the night of excited expectation! Then after the 15th, day by day, the moon rises a little later and its shape grows more and more cut-off. There are specific names the poets have given to each of these phases of the mid-autumn moon. Last night on the 16th ( of the old calendar) I viewed the IZAYOI (十六や), tonight the 17th, will be the TACHIMACHI-ZUKI (立待月), the 18th the IMACHI-ZUKI (居待月, and so on.

This year the 13th night of the 9th month (ju-san-ya, 十三夜) will fall on October 30th.

For more on this season read:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/11/kaki-is-the-color-and-flavor-of-fall-in-rural-japan/

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/11/zakuro-pomegranates-and-the-goddess-of-fertility-and-easy-delivery-kishibojin/

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A Magical Night on Mt Tsukuba at the Omido Temple`s Mando-Sai (大御堂万灯祭)

By Avi Landau

Most visitors to Mt. Tsukuba  make a stop at the large Shinto Shrine  called the Tsukuba-San Jinja, where the spirits of Japan`s mythological First Couple- Izamagi and Izanami are enshrined. There, prayers can be made for finding a good match ( EN MUSUBI) or for marital harmony ( FUFU WAGO). The shrine in way, has become the most famous SIGHT on the mountain, a MUST SEE for all tourists to the area.

Few now know, however, that from the 8th century until the late 19th century, the area on which the great shrine now stands was the site of a large BUDDHIST TEMPLE COMPLEX ( which also contained several shrines) called  either Tsukuba-San Dera, Chisokuin-Chuzen-ji (知足院中禅寺), or just plain Chuzen-Ji (中禅寺）.

According to local lore , the temple was first founded in 782 AD by the Priest Tokuitsu (徳一), of the Hosso Sect ( one of the Six Sects Of the old capital of Nara), said to be a surviving son of Fujiwara no Nakamaro ( who along with most of his family was put to death for attempting a coup d`etat in the year 764). Tokuitsu had been living at temples ( including Todai-Ji) since childhhood and went on to found numerous temples throught eastern Japan.

When you think about it, it was only natural that Mt Tsukuba be selected as a site to open a Buddhist temple. Since ancient times the mountain itself ( in its entirety) had been considered sacred, most probably because of its TWIN PEAKS, which for the ancients represented the male and female forces. The mountain had long been the site for KAGAI ( also called UTAGAKI), a kind of MATING festival which was held twice a year ( at a site not very far from where the Mt Tsukuba Shrine now stands and at other sacred moutains around Japan as well). Numerous poems describing the experience of this ancient rite can be found in the Manyoshu ( the oldest collection of Japanese poems).

When Tokuitsu arrived at Mt Tsukuba, as a representative of (at that time) the religion which had been adopted by the Emperor and the court, he was able to link the concept of the MALE and FEMALE forces of the mountain with the officially sanctioned histories of the Imperial Family and the Yamato People, by introducing the story of Izanagi and Izanami ( who are enshrined at the mountain today). Buddhist referred to these deities as Nantai no Gongen and Nyotai no Gongen, respectively.

Though Tokuitsu was a fierce and vocal opponent of the newer (to Japan) types of Buddhism which were becoming popular in Japan during the Heian Period ( the Tendai and Shingon Sects), not long after he founded his temple, the great priest Kukai ( Kobo Daishi) is said to have visited and converted it to the Shingon Sect. The multi-talented monk is said to have carved the temples main image, a SENJU KANON ( 千手観音- Thousand Armed Kanon), at that time ( though this should be taken with a grain of salt, since their is no proof that Kukai ever travelled further east that the Izu Peninsula !).

Any, the temple DID become connected with the Shingon Sect.

In the following centuries, the Chuzen-Ji Temple and Mt Tsukuba itself became a well know training ground for Shugendo(修験道), which combined elements of Buddhism and native beliefs and involved severe asceticisms which were supposed to bring magical powers to practioners. Women were stricly prohibited from ascending the mountain. The killing of any living creatures and the drinking of alcohol were also forbidden.

Political control of the mountain ( and temple grounds) over that period was at first in the hands of the Hata Family, most notably Hata Tomoie ( 八田知家), whose descendants long ruled the area under the name of Oda. 

It was with the ascension of the Tokugawa Family and the subsequent Edo Period ( the Tokugawa Period  1600-1868) that the Chuzen-Ji Temple came to have its Golden Age.

The reason for the temple`s sudden rise in importance was its location- to the north-east of Edo Castle, the seat of Tokugawa power. It has long been a belief in Japan, that evil or misfortune come from that direction, and it is considered important to protect oneself. That is why in the same way that the great Enryaku-Ji Temple on Mt Hiei near Kyoto was built to protect the Imperial Palace, the Chuzen-Ji Temple on Mt Tsukuba was built up to protect the Shogun.

A new abbbot was installed by the Shogun and the temple was given a generous annual allotment. The 3rd Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu, was especially interested in Chuzen-Ji`s upkeep, and beginning in 1626, seven years were spent renewing the various temple structures ( which included some shrines, as well).

When the Shogunate was on its last legs in the 1860`s, it was at Chuzenji`s Omido Hall that Fujita Koshiro (藤田小四郎) and his band of Tengu-To (天狗党) warriors from Mito set up a base camp from which  to fight their battle to Revere the Emperor and Expel the Barbarians ( Sonno Joi,尊王攘夷). Fujita and his ill-fated men soon headed off to try to meet the Emperor in Kyoto but were captured and tortured to death by samurai of the Kaga Clan.

The eventual fall of the Shogunate, however, sealed the great temple`s fate. The new Meiji government issued and order to separate Buddhism from Shinto (神仏分離, Shinbutsu Bunri) and also enacted a policy to suppress Buddhism in general ( 廃仏毀釈, Haibutsu kishaku) as being an ideology of alien origin.

Most of the structures which belonged to the temple were destroyed ( only one gate and the unique sacred bridge- shinkyo、 神橋　survived) in the iconoclastic fervor ( dont forget that this was a temple especially favored by the fallen regime). Numerous statues and other paraphanalia were thrown into Bonfires.

Importantly, however, local believers were able to hide away a few important images, including the Senju Kannon Statue. This was kept buried underground for decades until it was deemed safe to bring back out again ( and it can be seen today in the Omido Temple`s Main Hall.

Other surviving images can be seen at various temples around Tsukuba. The most impressive of these probably being the Nio Guardians which can be seen at the Tofuku-Ji Temple in Konda, Tsukuba.

On the site of the old Omido, the main hall of the Chuzen-Ji Temple, the Tsukuba-San Shrine was built, and in 1873 it was designated as the prefecture`s premier shrine ( it is now the Kashima Grand Shrine which holds the honor of that title).

In 1930, a small temple was built just below ( and to the left of) the Mt Tsukuba Shrine. A much more considerable structure was erected in the 1960`s- what is now today`s Omido (大御堂) Temple, a shadow of its old self, but still dignified and certainly worth a visit ( though few tourists to the mountain do- compared to the throngs that visit the shrine, though the temple is number 25 on the Bando 33 Kannon Temple pilgrimage circuit).

Last night, August 18th 2011, I was lucky enough to be at the Omido for what turned out to be a truly magical evening. It was the night of the Mando-Sai ( Lantern Oferring Ceremony) and when I got there at about 5:30 pm, worshippers were writing there wishes on the paper linings of lanterns which they then placed along the temples pathways are in its pond.

The wishes that I saw being inscribed were mostly for household or traffic safety, for health and for business success.

The worshipers then proceeded to take a seat (outdoors), to wait for the onset of prayers for the consolation of the spirits of thos who died in the recent earthquake and tsunami.

This ceremony (ireisai, 慰霊祭) was conducted by two young priests and an older nun. Their sonorous chanting harmonized hypnotically with the hum of the cicadas roosting among temples impressively old ( and huge) trees.

After about 30 minutes we all stepped into the temple, and took a seat ( Japanese style) in front of the temples main image- the Thousand Handed Kannon.

The ceremony which then began was special indeed, for believers it was said to be as effective in gaining merit as it would be visiting the temple on 46,000 normal days. I guess that is whty the place was packed.

The proceedings were led by the nun, who as joined by the young priests in what was surprisingly melodious chanting.

After this ceremony ( and all the merit gained!) we stepped outside into the beautiful night again. Though in my case I should say that I HOBBLED out, since my legs were completely numbed by the long sit Japanese style.

Painfully making my way down the staircase to the temples plaza like space below, I saw Juha (樹波）, Tsukuba`s great Wadaiko ( Japanese drums) ensemble, setting up.

I knew that we would be in for some thrills.

And despite the fact that there were fewer listeners than drummers, Juha did not disappoint, dazzling me with rhythms that summoned up all my primieval emotions and carried me away........

The lantern light and lightning flashing off in the distance made the whole experience even more mystical.

After kindly going their set ( we were less than ten people!), they even went on to lead us in some wild Bon Dancing. while three of Juha`s members went on to perform an absolutely crazed percussion improv.

I guess they understood that the few of us who were there, really appreciated their talents.

With plenty of thank yous, lots of merit, and a head spinning from the rhythms and beer, we took our leave, knowing that we would HAVE TO come back next year!

 And dont forget. When you do visit Mt Tsukuba and its famous shrine, dont forget to make a little detour to the Omido Temple, and think about the mountains very COMPLEX religious history.

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