Years of asking around eventually led to meeting a few elderly locals who knew what these markers were. Little by little I have been able to clear up the mystery of these mounted stick figures. This EXTREMELY LOCALIZED CUSTOM will now be explained for the first time in English (and maybe Japanese as well).

Simply put, the stick figures represent JIZO, one of the most familiar and beloved figures in Buddhist iconography. Anyone who has travelled around Japan and has been to its famous temples has probably seen these monk-like images (sometimes in great numbers), often dressed up by worshippers in shirt, coat, bib or hat, or maybe with some stones piled on them. Jizo, or more respectfully O-Jizo Sama, is a Bodhisattva (one who delays his own Buddha-hood in order to aid in the salvation of others), and because of that has come to be venerated in Japan starting in the Heian period (794-1185). For MUCH MORE DETAILED INFO on just about everything related to Jizo go to this page.

Jizo is regarded as the protector of children (including those who passed away before having been born) and also as a source of solace for dead souls.

The interesting thing around these parts is that when someone passes away, the neighborhood committee (in charge of helping with funerals) prepares these uniquely rustic Jizo figures (even if there are stone Jizos in the cemetery).

The stick figure Jizo placards are set up at the entrance to roads which lead to the cemetery, as a set of two, each with three Jizo characters. This is because Jizos are often found as a set of six, with that number being of great significance in Buddhism.  The graveyard Jizos represent the SIX REALMS OF EXISTENCE, or SIX PATHS (rokudo). The custom of setting up these signboards began with the intention of helping guide the dead souls to wherever it is they have to go. If you look at the photos I have taken, you can see three nails sticking out of each board. Sometimes there are candles fastened onto them (to guide the dead) and sometimes even chili peppers (which serve as imitation flames).

A more practical purpose served by these Jizo boards is helping to guide the Living to the graveyard, which can often be hard to find out in the country. The jizo placards mark the entrance to the paths or roads leading to the cemetery.

So, next time you come across these strangely primitive markers, don't run away! It's not black magic or voodoo. It's just jizo, helping the spirits on their way.

1 Comments

• At October 21, 2008, Dan Waldhoff wrote:

  Aloha Avi sama,

  The details of life your writings provide are like oshinko to my rice.

  I can't thank you enough,

  Dan

It is ironic that with Japan's often gloomy summer rainy season, there is usually plenty more sunshine in mid-winter than there is in mid-summer. And so, though today, the To-Ji (冬至), or winter solstice was certainly the shortest day of the year, it was also one of the sweetest -- with clear blue skies, no winds, and temperatures which were neither too hot nor too cold. In other words, a perfect day for fire-walking, which is what was going on today at Makabe's Kabasan Jinja Shrine, just as it has been on every winter solstice day for more than five hundred years.

When I arrived at the shrine at noon, a dense and excited crowd had already gathered tightly round the area which had been marked off earlier in the day with sacred bamboo (imitake) and rope (shimenawa). Standing on tip-toes (I am not your stereotypical TALL gaijin) I could have a look at what was going on within the sacred space. At the far end, a portable shrine had been set up, with various offerings from the sea (umi no mono), from the fields (yama no mono), and plenty of O-Miki (ritual sake) neatly arranged on an altar which was also adorned with branches of sacred sakaki, which would attract the GODS to this spot.

In the center of the cordoned off space was a neat pyre of chopped pine wood, with some ritual paper representing the deity of the shrine placed on top in the center. Five men, two of them younger, and three much older who were dressed in white robes and head-dresses more reminiscent of the Sahara or Arabia than China or Japan, were busy with various preparations. The oldest gentleman, who I later learned is in his mid-80s, was performing various purification rituals, consecutively waving sakaki, a sword, and blowing a conch (hora-gai).

Quickly tiring of standing on tip-toes, I set about exploring the precincts of this venerable shrine, which legend says was first founded by the semi-mythical barbarian subduer Yamato Takeru, who supposedly prayed at this site for victory in his campaigns of Eastern conquest. Today scores of parishioners clad in white HAPI coats and head-bands were busy chatting in the various shrine offices. Other visitors, from far and near, were buying votive tablets, tossing coins into the main offering box, taking pictures, or just waiting around impatiently for the ceremony to begin.

I was also able to chat with some of the shrine staff about the history of the shrine and the fire walking ceremony (Hi-Watari), which I will relay to you later. But now it was time to get into position for watching and photographing the ritual, and relying on plenty of pent up New York wile and CHUZTPAH I was able to manoeuvre myself into a favorable spot.

At this point, the old men in white were kneeling in front of the altar, muttering incantations with great concentration and solemnity. They then went ahead and lit the pyre, which on the windless day burned beautifully. The crowd watched the flames, as if intoxicated, for more than thirty minutes, as the old priests circled, chanting to themselves, and going through what looked like martial arts KATA (pattern practices), sometimes miming sword strikes which included strong KIAI (cries of EEII). They also would occasionally take colorful amulets from their belts and hold them up to the fire as they circled, looking as if they were seeking the fire's weak points which they would  attack.

As the fire burned down, the younger men used long sticks to create a path down the center of the pyre. When this was ready, the oldest man drew his sword and performed another purification ritual. Building up his courage he let out a strong kiai as he passed through the center of the flames. He then stopped in front of the altar acknowledged the KAMI (Gods) and took a swig of O-Miki. He was quickly followed by the other white-men.

When they were finished, it was the parishioners' turns. They all filed through the fire, and then on to the altar, as if drawn uncontrollably to the sacred SAKE.

After leaving the sacred area these locals proceeded to the shrine office where they cleaned their feet, received a certificate of having participated and settled down for some beverages and snacks. After all the parishioners had passed through the flames, it was time for anyone else who wanted to to do so.

This took quite a long time, as all sorts of folks, young old, mothers carrying babies, passed through the fire.

When I asked those who had just passed through if their feet burned, they all seemed to agree that more than hot feet, it was their faces that felt the heat, from the flames on both sides.

When the last person FINALLY passed through, the old man called out - FINISHED. Then pandemonium broke out; as the crowd rushed into the sacred compound.

Many locals bring metal containers into which they put some burnt wood or embers from the fire. They then keep this in their houses for one year as protection from colds. The mad scramble for these red hot pieces of wood seemed very dangerous, but luckily no one seemed to have gotten burned.

The Mt. Kaba Shrine Fire Walking Ritual had come to an end, and everyone seemed very satisfied indeed.

In 1394, the abbot of the Enryaku-Ji temple, which protects Kyoto from the unlucky North-Eastern direction and is probably Japan's most influential temple, travelled the country making pilgrimages to its sacred sites. One place he and his entourage of monks visited was Mt Kaba, which was supposed to have once been used for sacred rites. This priest, Genkai-Shonin (源海上人), carried out various esoteric rituals which were part of the Tendai Sect and had been brought to Japan from India and perhaps Persia, by way of China where the sect's founder Saicho had come into contact with them. It is from these ancient practices that the current Mt Kaba Shrine's Fire Walking Ritual have evolved, and that is why they have such an exotic air. Please keep in mind that until the Meiji Period (1868-1912) Buddhism and what is now called Shinto (native religious practice) were often combined in a syncretic form of worship.

The fire walking ritual is believed not only to cleanse all those who undergo it of one year's worth of impurities, but also helps to invigorate the sun, which until the day after the solstice gradually becomes weaker and weaker in the sky.

I myself almost took off my shoes and passed through the flames. I was seriously contemplating it... but I got cold feet.

Maybe next year.

2 Comments

• At December 23, 2008, Anja wrote:

  Hi Avi,

  Thank you for this and all your other stories. I always enjoy them a lot. We were all set to go the shrine on Sunday morning, only to find out that there was no bus going to Makabe on that day (and we do not have a car). But thanks to your story I have the feeling that we were still a bit present.

  Anja

• At December 25, 2008, Avi wrote:

  Its too bad that you couldnt have been there, especially on such a fine day! Next time, send me a mail and we can all go together.

  Thanks alot for your comments and have a great holiday season!

I imagined that most of the Buddhist art enthusiasts patiently waiting in line with me had already been to Nara and visited Yakushiji. I also came to the realization that if I had gotten on the shinkansen it would not take very much longer to reach the temple itself than it would to finally reach the entrance of the museum (though it would have been a BIT more expensive).

What the large crowds had been gathering for, every day for weeks already, was a look from behind. A look at the back-sides of 3 great Buddhist images whose backs are usually covered by ornate, body length, gilded halos or aureoles (光背, kohai). For this exhibition, these figures, most famously the bronze Bodhisatvas Nikko and Gakko, were separated from their back-stand halos allowing their elegantly molded posteriors to be gazed upon by anyone with a ticket and tough enough to endure the lines.

In addition to this rare chance to peek BEHIND the scenes, the exhibition featured treasures which have never been  displayed all at once.These are usually kept in Yakushi-Ji`s treasure house and  are

exhibited as individual pieces or sets at various times around the year.

Centuries of being imbued with the samurai virtues of patience and perseverence has clearly had a huge impact.Not a complaint could be heard from the sun-exposed crowd.Each visitor seemed to be in a heat induced daze by the time they reached the air-conditioned exhibition hall .

Then things really got difficult. All the pent up energy and bridled excitement seemed to burst forth in my elderly fellow museum-goers and it took strength and cunning to jockey myself into a position in which I could see any of the works on display.

This might sound like a nightmare, or a Buddhist version of hell, but  in fact it was fascinating and highly rewarding in many ways. For me observing the visitors and overhearing their comments was what probably sticks in my mind most. Since this was an exhibition of Buddhist works, and not just ART, it seemed to me that most of the visitors were trying their best to have a spiritual experience. Their GAZE was special, like that reserved for cherry blossom viewing or funerals. A typical exclamation that I heard among the crowds viewing the 3 meter tall bronze Boddhisatvas was: They really DO make me feel calm. (yappari miru to iyashi ni naru).

In terms of the works on display themselves, I was more impressed (in terms of beauty) by the three small figures (39cm) of the Hachiman Triad. I prefered them because they are carved from wood, and I have always felt that the Japanese sculptors often showed great genius when working in that medium. When such skillfully carved wooden pieces are aged more than a thousand years, the effect is mysterious and mesmerizing.

It is also of interest to note how Shinto Gods were early adopted into Buddhism, with Hachiman (the deified emperor Ojin) having early on become a protector of the new, imported faith.These figures are some of the earliest,if not THE earliest examples of Shinto sculpture(before Buddhism took hold the Gods had not been

represented as graven images). I can go ON and ON about each piece I saw. By why should you waste your time reading when you still have a few more days to see and experience for yourself.Or check the exhibition web-site.

I left the museum and its bookstore with  heavy feet and even heavier bag, and a light head and even lighter wallet.However, I really did feel serene(exhaustion?) sitting on TX reviewing what I had just seen in the excellent catalogue of the show.

Don't let the lines deter you(bring some good books along). I guess that in the west we also have the notion of growth through hardship: you know NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

The exhibition will be on until June 8 at the National Museum in Ueno.

See: Article on Amabiki Kannon in Alien Times

1 Comments

• At May 9, 2007, TsukuBlog » Peacock at Amabiki Kannon wrote:

  [...] Amabiki Kannon [...]

The tremendous advances made in the medical sciences over the past few centuries have been simply astounding. Much of this progress can be attributed to the efforts of diligent, talented, and sometimes just-plain-lucky researchers who set about looking for solutions to medical questions by applying the scientific method -- which depends heavily on observing the results of controlled experiments to prove hypotheses.

Animals, in their forced role as experimental subjects, have played a crucial part in this March Forward, as many important medical studies from the times of Pasteur and Pavlov to the present day, have been made with the use of test animals. Every year at least tens of millions of vertebrates (and so many more invertebrates) are used around the world in tests which end with these creatures being SACRIFICED.

At Tsukuba University Medical School, as well as at other research institutes in Japan, the role that animals play in scientific progress, and the suffering often involved in their making a CONTRIBUTION to humanity (and sometimes to their fellow animals as well) does not go unrecognized or unacknowledged (for whatever that is worth) .

Once a year, usually in the first week of November (when the climate is most comfortable), an announcement is made throughout the medical school complex, that a special memorial service (ireisai, 慰霊祭) will be held at the IREIHI (慰霊碑), a memorial tablet which is tucked away in the shadows of the small woods, just east of the hospital's power plant. The IREIHI itself was made 20 years ago by a student of the university and the inscription on it reads "JIKEN DOBUTSU IREIHI", or "monument for consoling the spirits of experimental animals".

On the day the ceremony is announced, hundreds of  doctors, researchers, administrators, office staff and representatives of the companies which supply the animals attend, many bringing flowers, or foods which the animals might like. Since Tsukuba University is a government institution which must abide by rules separating church and state, incense, which would usually be offered on such an occasion, is not used, because of its overtly religious (Buddhist) connotations. Usually, a distinguished researcher or administrator makes a short speech about the number of animals sacrificed and the need to reduce this number and alleviate suffering. Those assembled then close their eyes for a moment of silence. I am told that many of those who attend this ceremony feel a sense of satisfaction or solace in having shown their respect and gratitude to the sacrificed lab animals.

Some laboratories in Tsukuba affiliated with private companies hold more elaborate and overtly religious IREISAI. For several reasons, I, myself, do not  like the idea of using animals for experiments (when it is not absolutely necessary to do so). But since millions of creatures ARE being used (and abused) in the name of science, I think it is a good thing to give them a little (even if it's only on one day) RESPECT.

Thanks to Dr. Sugiyama, director of Tsukuba University's Center for Experimental Animals for giving me his time and for showing me his dedication to providing the best conditions possible for the animals under his care. Still I get the willies every time I pass his building. If anyone would like to attend the ceremony please let me know and I will inform you about it (on the day it is held).

1 Comments

• At October 30, 2008, avi wrote:

  That's so sad about the animals. I love that one Ali G episode where he asked if animals would get the right to vote. That was funny!

Just next to the Mcdonald`s outlet on the Tsuchiura-Gakuen Line is Koike`s Suwa Shrine

There is a curious little Shinto Shrine which sits a few hundred meters from the TX Tsukuba Terminal, along one of Tsukuba`s busiest and most important thoroughfares- the Tsukuba-Gakuen Line.

I call it curious because to me it has long stood out among all the other shrines in Tsukuba-  for two reasons. First, it is located right beside a McDonalds outlet, making the scene of both, side by side ( torii gate and Golden Arches), an interesting montage of The Old  and The New, as they co-exist in Japan ( or anywhere else in the world, for that matter). Adding to the atmoshphere is a Buddhist Temple ( of the Nichiren Sect), called Myoho-Ji (妙法寺), just next to the shrine.

Second, the shrine is oustanding in its BLANDNESS- a  torii gate of concrete, a dull colored, featureless hall, and most strikingly unshrinelike - grounds which are so devoid of  trees and greenery ( even in summer) that they must surely be treated regularly with some sort of defoliant.

Furthermore, the shrine had always remained anonymous to me, as there is no visible sign in or around its precincts to indicate its name or what kind of shrine it is ( by that I mean dedicated to what god or gods?).

And since throughout all the years I have lived in Tsukuba, passing this spot almost every day in the process, I had never seen ANYONE to ask, no sign of anyone worshipping or making offerings there, or even anyone standing within its concrete-block-wall enclosed grounds, - the identity of this shrine had long remained a mystery to me- until last Saturday ( Aug. 27th 2011), that is!

While having a cup of coffee I noticed (much to my surprise) that the shrine was open for a ceremony

Here is the story of my long awaited encounter with the shrine- which I had always thought of as the McDonalds` Shrine, but now know to be Onozaki`s`s Suwa Jinja Shrine (つくば市小野崎の諏訪神社).

It was  the morning of the Matsuri Tsukuba Festival, and I set out from my home in Hojo at about 7 AM. You see, living in an old village near the foot of Mt Tsukuba carries with it some disadvantages- one of them being the great difficulty involved in getting connected to the internet. And since I wanted to make some early additions to Tsukublog, I had to get to an internet cafe.

Making my way through the narrow lanes on the way to the bus stop, something happened which forshadowed what I would experience a little later in the morning.

As I was passing a row of houses, a woman, walking her bicycle up to her front gate, seemed to be getting ready to go out. As our eyes met, I gave out a hearty OHAYO GOZAIMASU ( good morning!). Though she responded with the same, noticing that I was a foreigner ( or just an unfamiliar male, in general), she tagged on an `Oh, I forgot ( aa wasureta)'  to her greeting, and immediately hurried back to her front door-  to lock it.

Making offerings at the shrines once a year ceremony ( held on Aug. 27th)

With no hard feelings, I walked on to the bus stop, and in about 30 minutes was at Tsukuba Center.

 The place was buzzing, and not just from the cicadas. There was all sorts of activity, as final preparations were being made for Tsukuba`s biggest festival ( which would begin at noon).

I was planning to walk over to the little internet cafe on the Tsuchiura-Gakuen Line which is just next to the Mos burger ( a Japanese fast food chain), but to my dismay, after having made it over to there, I found that it would not open till nine. I had more than 30 minutes to kill.

What to do?

I decided to get a cup of coffee at McDonalds. I could get some cafeine into my system and do a little reading as well, I thought. Sitting down with my extremely hot beverage at a window seat, I was stunned to see some activity stirring at the little shrine across the road. The hall was actually open and some people had gathered inside and out in front.

I threw my nearly full cup into the trash and rushed over.

A handful of  older women were getting ready for a prayer meeting of some sort. Peering inside, I noticed some banners reading SUWA DAIMYOJIN, and I realized ( after many years of being in the dark) that this was a branch shrine of the Suwa Taisha ( in Nagano Prefecture), one of the most popular types of shrine in Japan.

I said hello, and the women greeted me cordially. I told them that I had always wanted to know about the shrine and the ladies told me all that they could- which actually wasnt very much. The main gist was that they held a  meeting once a year ( on Aug. 27th) and prayed for their families` health and safety. They called it a Mando-Sai, which made me think that the shrine was once connected to a temple- perhaps the one one right next door ( made of similar materials and in similar colors). When I asked if this this were the case, the women dont me it was not ( though since shrines were separated from temples in the 1870`s these women would probably not know it even if the shrine and the temple next door HAD once been one and the same).

I continued to ask questions.

While most of the women were enthusiatically explaining all they knew about their shrine to me, one of the women, started paying attention to something else- the offerings box. She was tying to get it all cleared out, and taking a long time doing it. She was also vocalizing, or should I say narrating to the others, and to me, what she was doing- making sure the box was empty.

I then realized ( though some of you might think that Im just being paranoid), that this one woman was worried that this strange man ( me), dressed in shorts, t-shirt and thongs, hovering around their shrine, was targeting the donation money in the offerings box. She wanted me to know that there was NOTHING TO BE TAKEN.

Sensing that this was the case ( since I have been to many such gathering and had never seen anyone taking care of the offerings while the ceremonies were just beginning), and with the other women starting to get stressed out by what she was doing- I felt it was best that I take my leave, and did so with a friendly ' Thank you ', and went on my way, leaving them to enjoy their ceremony in peace.

The Suwa Jinja Shrine in Koike, Tsukuba ( Aug. 27th, 2011)

Walking back towards the internet cafe ( where I would begin this post), I thought about Suwa Shrines and WHY this shrine would have their prayer meeting at the end of August.

The Suwa Grand Shrine ( Suwa Taisha, 諏訪大社), of which the little shrine in Onozaki is a branch of, is located in Nagano Prefecture, and is unique in that it is separated into TWO impressive structures with several kilometers of water ( Lake Suwa) between. One of these is the Spring Hall ( Haru Miya, 春宮) and the other the Autumn Hall (Aki Miya, 秋宮).

Over the long history of this shrine, what people have prayed for there has changed. First a shrine of hunting, then agriculture, then military victory, it is now a popular place to pray for good harvests, traffic safety and good luck in general.

There is something else, however, connected with the Suwa Shrine, that I think might be why the locals of Tsukuba`s Onozaki, gather at their little hall in late August- TYPHOONS!

Yes, the Suwa Shrine has long been a place to pray for protection from the typhoons which often bring havoc to this archipelago in late August and early September.

In fact, there was a typhoon headed for Tsukuba that very day.

Though the ladies in Onozaki have no collective memory of why they meet at the time of year that they do, I feel that it must be this.

Anyway, when your munching away on your Big Mac at the Onozaki outlet of the popular fast food chain, dont forget to glance over at the curious ( but now identified) shrine.

Tossing goodies to the crowd at Tsukubasan-Jinja 2009

This year, Kyu-Shogatsu (旧正月), the start of the new year according to the old Japanese calendar (in other words, the Chinese New Year) fell on January 26th. Fifteen days later, on the evening of February 9th through the morning of the 10th, the first full-moon of the new LUNAR year appeared, looming unusually large and mysterious, marking what has traditionally been called KO-SHOGATSU (小正月), which is now more commonly celebrated (if celebrated at all) according to the new calender, on the 15th day of the NEW first month, which is January.

Whichever calendar is followed, the first day of the year was called Oh-Shogatsu (大正月), while fifteen days later the night of the first full moon was called Ko-Shogatsu (小正月). Many incorrectly believe this to simply mean Big (大) and Small (小）New Year's, when in fact OH (大) meant OHYAKE (公) public or official, as in Official New Year's, and KO (小) meant minkan (民間) - the FOLK, as in the people's New Year's.

NARASE MOCHI at Tsukuba San Jinja

Over the years there have been many customs specific to KO-SHOGATSU, which was, like OH-SHOGATSU, celebrated for a three day period. Few of these custom survive, and those that do are just barely hanging on. It used to be common to eat rice gruel with azuki beans on Ko-Shogatsu (this custom is even mentioned in Sei Shonagon's Heian Period classic The Pillow Book -- Makura Soshi). I have never met anyone who still does this, but I have read that the custom still exists. These days, however, we can still see trees with pink and white mochi rice cakes stuck on the tips of their branches, especially at Asakusa's Senso-Ji Temple (though these are artificial). These decorative trees are known by different names depending on the region you are in and in Ibaraki they are often called NARASE-MOCHI, or rice cakes for abundant crops (NARU means to bear fruit), while in Asakusa the same trees decorated with plastic balls are called MAYU-DAMA (繭玉, cocoon balls), which are set up in hopes of an abundant silk harvest, which harkens back to the days when silk was Japan's most important foreign currency earner.

For two days, after the appearance of the first full moon of the new year (according to the old calendar), Mt. Tsukuba Shrine holds one of its most important annual events, the TOSHIKOSHI-SAI (年越際) or THE RE-SETTING OF OUR LIVES FESTIVAL. This year, the festival is being held on February 10th (today) and 11th. I was there this afternoon for the opening of all the excitement, which involves the unlikely scenario of sumo wrestlers, men and women born under this year's zodiac sign (the ox), as well as mothers holding their infants (born this year!) tossing mochi rice cakes (many containing coupons for other prizes), soy beans, and other assorted snacks into the frenzied crowd which scrambles for these items which are believed to bring good luck and remove the danger believed to be involved with unlucky ages.

It was a perfect day for a drive to the shrine, which is midway up Mt. Tsukuba. Temperatures were surprisingly warm and the air crisp and clear, providing for what is a UNIQUE view in Japan - a flat plain extending all the way out to the horizon. It was also a perfect day to enjoy the first bloomings of Mt Tsukuba's most famous creature -- the plum tree (or, should I say, second most famous, after the GAMA, or toad). When I reached the main hall of the shrine itself, I found several NARASE MOCHI TREES on display in honor of Ko-Shogatsu.

Getting ready to toss

The throwing sessions are scheduled for 2pm, 3pm , 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm, and expectant crowds (including many people of unlucky age, YAKU DOSHI), pushed up close to the shrine's main hall promptly at 2pm. They waited this way for half an hour, however, while a purification ritual (O-Harai) was held inside for those who would be doing the tossing. This delay happened again later, as those who gathered at 3pm, had to wait for 30 minutes.

When the ceremony got underway, all those who had come to the shrine quickly forgot all about their inconvenient wait. The sumo wrestlers and others proceeded to shower those gathered with assorted snacks and prizes. Most dangerously were the rock hard and relatively heavy mochi rice cakes, which also contained coupons for special prizes. You don't want to get smacked in the face by one of those! I was able to snare one out of the air, only to find that my special coupon entitled me to receive a pack of tissues!

What is all this about? Well, the priests at Tsukuba-San Jinja have combined several traditions to come up with their TOSHIKOSHI-SAI. First there is the date of the celebration, which coincides with Ko-Shogatsu according to the old lunar calendar. For this they decorate the shrine's precincts with narase mochi. They also use elements of the setsubun bean throwing festival, in that they throw soy beans (among many other different items) in order to drive away bad luck. Also on setsubun, famous shrines often invite sumo wrestlers and other celebs to do the throwing. The name used for the tossing ceremony is actually the name of the ancient Chinese ritual out of which Setsubun's bean throwing later evolved, Tsuina (in which plum branch bows and reed arrows were used to drive away bad fortune). In fact, many locals refer to the TOSHIKOSHI-SAI as a setsubun event or mame maki.

The priests of Mt. Tsukuba Shrine have put a special emphasis on the rituals efficacy for those in their unlucky years (most importantly 42 for men and 33 for women, though there are many other unlucky ages for each sex). This is also connected with New Year's and setsubun in that, traditionally, all Japanese became one year older together in this season, before the calendar changed bringing New Year's to January First and before individual birthdays were celebrated.

Mochi snared at Tsukuba-San Jinja 2009

If you plan on going tomorrow, keep two things in mind. The tossing will probably not begin as scheduled, so be patient, AND beware of those flying MOCHI RICE CAKES!

Some of the 88 Miniature Halls Representing The Temples of Shikoku`s Famous Pilgrimage

In Japan, April is a month of   beginnings and fresh endeavor, with millions of people starting out at new schools,classes,grades, jobs and postings,  as the  academic year, as well as the fiscal year ( among other things) begin in this month. This timing seems only natural, as the cycle of rice cultivation, around which  Japanese life has revolved for centuries, has traditionally begun in  April, just as the cherry blossoms have fallen away, with the rice seedlings being readied and the fields being flooded and prepared for the transplantation which takes place in early May. And for those who did not or were not needed to work the soil, April has also been the traditional month for setting  out on a pilgrimage.

A Carved Image Of Kukai (Kobo Daishi) In One Of the Small Halls

 When most Westerners hear the word PILGRIMAGE they do not think of Japan. Mecca, Rome, Lourdes, Jerusalem or even Graceland probably come to mind first. Japan , however,has been a land of GREAT pilgrimages, especially during the Edo Period (1600-1868), when the relative peace, prosperity and well maintained highway system achieved under Tokugawa hegemony made it possible for an unprecedented number of people to set off on religious journeys- either for penitence and merit or just plain adventure. Whatever the real intention was, the reason for travelling given to neighbors, and then to the authorities at the numerous and stringemt check-points was- MAKING A PIGRIMAGE. This was mainly because that was just about the only type of movement from place to place which was permitted to most citizens of Tokugawa Japan.

An Old Palanquin (kago) Hanging Outside Nichirinji`s Old Storehouse

Japanese pilgimages can actually be divided into two types, one was the SANKEI （参詣） , or visits to individual sacred places, either mountains, temples or shrines (though before the Meiji Restorarion of 1868 what we now call Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines were not at all clearly distinguishable). These had been enjoyed by the aristocracy at least since the Nara Period, and always made a good excuse for an exciting excursion away from the cloistered confines of the Court. In the Edo period, the old highways (kaido), especially the famed Tokkaido, were usually lined back to back with pilgrims (mostly revellers in fact), who walked for weeks (almost no commoners had permission to ride a horse or in a palanquin), partying most of the way, until they reached the Grand Shrine at Ise (Mie Prefecture), where they partied some more before heading home. For a hilarious account of a pilgrimage to Ise (Ise-Mairi), read the Tokkaido-Chu Hizakurige (translated into English as Shanks Mare) by the great Edo Period writer Jippensha Ikku. It will have you laughing out loud and give you plenty of insights into what life was like of the road in those days.

A Painting on the Ceiling of a Wash-Basin Shelter at Tsukuba`s Nichirinji-Temple

The second type of pilgrimage,   referred to with the Japanese word JUNREI (巡礼）,  consists of doing a full circuit and visiting a complete set of specific temples, often in a set order. This was ostensibly a much more serious and solemn affair, a rite of passage of sorts, with the pilgrims donning special wear and  gear, and journeying for days, weeks or months in straw sandals, with asceticisms, repentance and the gaining of merit in mind. Though there are several pilgrimage circuits which remain popular to this day, undoubtebly the most famous is the 88 temple circuit of Shikoku, in which pilgrims called O-Henro set out on an arduous 1000 km journey which takes about two months to complete on foot (though now it can be done by car or bus tour) to visit the places at which the great priest Kukai had supposedly done asceticisms at ( the number 88 represents the number of worldly evils designated by Kukai. a visit to all the temples would be a major step in suppressing these evil urges).

For many Japanese, especially those who had retired from their trades or were too old too help with the farming, completing the Shikoku Temple circuit was something spiritual to aspire to  once in a lifetime. April was the time of year, when most O-Henro set off on their long JUNREI. As you can imagine, though,  for various reasons, most could not possibly get away from their families and villages to make the trip to far off Shikoku. That is why in many parts of Japan, including Ibaraki Prefecture and even in Tsukuba itself, there are places where anyone can become an O-Henro SYMBOLICALLY. These mini-pilgrimages are called Shin Shikoku Hachijuhachi Kasho Junrei ( 新四国八十八ヵ所の巡礼ーNew Shikoku 88 Sacred Site Pilgrimage).

One place in Ibaraki where this type of pilgrimage takes place is in Azuma-Mura in Inashiki City. In April, senior citizens can be seen in white pilgrims wear, travelling on bicycle or foot, visiting the 88 small halls or temples which represent the sacred Shikoku sites. This could take a week or more! This pilgrimage begins at Azuma-Mura`s Shomei-In Temple (照明院), and ends back in the same village`s Mangan-Ji Temple (満願寺). Along the way, local residents have traditionally provided refreshments and encouragement for the pilgrims. Unfortunately, as time goes by, and with the passing of the older generation, fewer and fewer people are joining in on this symbolic journey to Shikoku. 

In Tsukuba ,  a similar pilgrimage can be made at the Nichirinji (日輪寺)Temple in Konda,  one of my all-time favorite places in Tsukuba. This Shingon Sect Temple (one of nice such temples in Konda) was originally established in 1140 by the Oda  Clan, who once ruled this area. It was first intended as that family`s personal temple and it stood for centuries half-way up Mt Oda near Mt Tsukuba, until it was moved in 1531 to its present location in Konda, on the site of what was probably an outer fortress of Oda Castle (the old moat can still be seen!), during the battles which raged in the Period of Civil War. The Oda Clan was eventually destroyed.

The Old Moat Around Nichirinji

 During the Edo Period, when the country stabilized, Nichirinji flourished at its new location, gaining recognition from the Shogunate and the Imperial Court and amassing extensive holdings in the surrounding area. This all came to an end, however, with the Meiji Restoration of 1868 and the subsequent persecution of Buddhism which came to be seen as an ALIEN CONTINENTAL INFLUENCE. For about four years Nichirinji was virtually abandoned and lost much of its holdings. In the 4th year of Meiji (1872), however, its priest made very active efforts to revitalize the venerable temple. This included the creation of  88 small halls, each representing on of the temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. In past years this was a popular thing to do. These days, however, the wooden structures seem to be all but abandoned . Vegetation can be seen growing inside them, obscuring the carved images of Kukai, the founder of the Shikoku pilgrimage Circuit, found in each one . This creates a melancholy, though highly photogenic scene.As you walk around the verdant pilgrimage  path  you will also come to a giant momi (fir)tree, which is truly magnificent. For me this tree alone makes a visit to this temple well worthwhile. There are also plenty of sacred stones and other things of interest within the temples precincts. Look for the old rundown palanquin (the former priests of this temple were actually granted permission to ride in one-thats how prestigious it was!) When you get to the small wash basin, check out the ceiling of the small canopy which covers it. There is an interesting and very faded painting of  a TENNYO celestial maiden on it.

Pilgrimages have had a tremendous impact on the evolution of Japanese culture, and the forms and patterns adopted by the earlier generations of Japanese travellers remain clearly and uncannily recognizable in contemporary Japan. When I see bus loads of japanese tourists being run around to as many  as possible of the noteworthy sites in a particular city or country, and with these tourists having a quick look around before having  a photo of themselves snapped to commemorate the event, before rushing off to the next site, I cannot help but imagine pilgrims on a JUNREI, trying to visit all the temples in the circuit, not wasting any time at any particular one, getting the temple`s stamp in their stamp book as proof that they had really been there and then heading off for the next temple on the circuit. And lets not forget picking up souvenirs for all the neighbors back home (who in the old days might actually have contributed some money to support their fellow villagers pilgrimage).

Reading over these last words, I am reminded of an interesting story. A few years back I lead a group of women from rural Tsukuba, all of them grandmothers, on a five day tour of NY City. It was all an amazing experience, but what sticks in my mind most was how, at JFK airport, waiting for our flight back to Japan, our oldest (at 85) and dearest member- Toshiko, bought about fifty boxes of highly over-priced chocolates with a picture of the Manhattan skyline on their boxes, for each of the families in her neighborhood. The cost of these OMIAGE was certainly more than that of our entire trip, but that is what has been done for centuries. When a person went off on a pilgrimage they always came back with the famous souvenirs of the places they had visited.

Of course you should try to make it to Shikoku. But if you cant, there is always Nichirin-Ji.

Here is a map showing how to get to the temple -http://local.yahoo.co.jp/detail/spot/d1d9ce8298a22fa407c09359b0193341/

3 Comments

• At April 30, 2009, Mamoru Shimizu wrote:

  Avi-san Yes! That’s right. Me and my wife naturally have got DNA of Pilgrimage-done ancestors. So during our journeys as soon as we arrived some famous places we took photos with something famous saying “these should be records!! darling!”, also were warying to find good OMIYAGE to our families, club-mates, class-mates like chocolates with photos or Omanjyu with name of places. I would like to visit Nichirinji very near future to see Mominoki and 88 miniatures. Thank you for your good information.

• At April 30, 2009, Torah wrote:

  Avi! how do i get in touch with you? i was looking for your photo book of thailand circa 1989 coffee table book. i see you have never stopped writing. i've done some cd's singing and had a television series based on my adventures. time passes so swiftly. we need to sing together again, maybe next year in Jerasalem. I think Nichirinji was my Temple when i lived there, the one i visited and supported... need confirmation. I'm in Oklahoma now, writing a semi-autobiographical tome. Sequal to the tv series. Would love to hear from you-play catchup. Torah

• At May 8, 2009, lisa wrote:

  I did the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage last year and never heard of the mini-pilgrimage... what a lovely idea. Thanks!

The Fudo-zon Hall in Higashi Maeno, Tsukuba on the day of the SEGAKI ceremony

An important part of Japanese tradition is attending to the spirits of ones ancestors. Even today many homes have a BUTSUDAN ( a Buddhist Altar), at which offerings of water, rice and incense are made daily. There are also four times a year ( equally spread out through the calendar year), New Year`s in winter, the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes, and the O-Bon Festival in summer, when the souls of family members who have passed on receive more special attention ( and much better offerings!) .

It was also interesting for me to learn that in Tsukuba ( and throughout Japan) many make offerings to OTHER SPIRITS:  those who have no descendants to care for them (無縁仏, MUEN BUTSU), or the spirits of those who according to Buddhist belief have fallen into the realm of GAKI (餓鬼道), where they are suffering ( because of past misdeeds) from incessant thirst and hunger. 

Inside the Fudo Hall, SOTOBA (called Tohba, by native Tsukubans), wooden planks inscribed with Sanskrit and Chinese characters, were stood up leaning on both sides of the old wooden image of O-Fudo-Sama in the central altar

The ceremonies at which such offerings are made are called  SEGAKI (施餓鬼), and in Tsukuba and other parts of Japan they are often held within the two weeks after the O-Bon Festival ( though at some temples they are held every day!). 

( Apparently, in early Indian Buddhism the offerings to GAKI ( Preta, in Pali) were made at the same time as the offering to ones own ancestors at the URABON-E, the prototype of todays O-Bon Festival in Japan)

The logic of this is as follows: the ancestral spirits have just returned to the Other World after their short stays with their families for the Bon Festival. Offerings are made to MUEN BUTSU and GAKI not only out of comapassion or sympathy for these suffering spirits, but also to help guarrantee that ones own ancestors do not become the victims of their spiteful bullying and mischief upon their return.

( It is always amusing for me to hear Japanese people refer to bratty kids as GAKI- a common usage of the word in modern Japanese. )

Close-up of a Tohba. After recieving them from a priest, families keep them by the family altar overnight before taking them to the cemetery

It is also after O-Bon, (and in Tsukuba very often right after the SEGAKI ceremony), that families recieve their new SOTOBA, the wooden boards inscribed with Chinese and Sanskrit characters which are placed upright at graves.

The word SOTOBA derives from the Sanskrit word STUPA, a word which was used to mean a Buddhist monument for someone who has passed away( originally for the Buddha himeself!).

While in past ages, the wealthy and powerful  could afford grand five-tiered monuments of stone ( GORIN TO , 五輪塔), or even grander five tiered pagodas　( Goju- no to-, 五重塔), representing the five elements- space, wind, fire, water, and earth, the common man had to make due with a more rustic ( and much cheaper) type of monument: a wooden slab with notches on top representing the same five realms!

(Please note that SOTOBA are referred to as TOHBA in Ibaraki and other parts of Japan.)

And since in Japan nothing is quite so simple, these SOTOBA play another role, besides being Buddhist style monuments ( inscribed with prayers) for the dead. They can also be interpreted as being Shinto ( Japan`s native belief system) style YORISHIRO (依代), which act as antennae of sorts, to attract the spirits back their graves and or make communication between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead possible. 

Before the ceremonies, the young priest- Yusei Shana , starts setting up

My first encounter with a SEGAKI CEREMONY did not occur until last year. The year before that ,  while I was talking with retired teacher (and awesome harmonica player) Oyama Sensei, my curiosity was  greatly aroused when I heard him tell about how the other day he had been FEEDING HUNGRY GHOSTS ( he had translated the heard SEGAKI  directly from its characters)!

After much pestering, I made him promise to take me with him the next time such a ceremony was held.

For that I had to wait nearly twelve months, as in his neighborhood the SEGAKI is held once a year, about 12 days after the O-Bon Festival, on August 28th.

When the time did come for the ceremony, held at the Fudo-Zon Hall in Higashi Maeno, Tsukuba, I found that it had been WELL WORTH the wait. Not only could I witness the neighborhood SEGAKI CEREMONY in its mysterious venerable old wooden hall, but I could also sit through a GOMA TAKI fire ceremony dedicated to Fudo Myo-o, AND see all the local families ( as represented by one male) recieve their new TOHBAs.

Once again this year ( on Aug. 28th) I will be attending the SEGAKI in Higashi Maeno. If anyone is interested in joining, please let me know.

And if you cant make it, I will leave a detailed account of what happens right here on this post.

A closer look at the ritual objects used for the GOMA TAKI ceremony

 One more thing of interest to those interested in Tsukuba and the surrounding area. Segaki ceremonies are  performed by all the major sects of Japanese Buddhism- except for Jodo Shinshu ( which happens by the way to be the one with the most followers!).

The reason for this is apparently connected to a story involving SHINRAN (親鸞), the founder of that sect, and a visit to Mt Tsukuba!

Here is a short summary of the tale.

Shinran was staying at some lodging house at the foot of Mt Tsukuba the night before his planned ascent of the mountain. While he slept he dreamed of a boy who announced himself as the messenger of Nantai Gongen ( the male god of the mountain). The boy went on to beseech the great priest to visit the middle one of 3 caves he would find on the mountain`s slopes.

Shinran found the cave and entered. First he found two jars with a little water in them. Then deeper into the cave he found ( much to his surprise, I assume) a GAKI.

The tormented spirit told Shinran that because of past sins he was now suffering terrible hunger and thirst. However, due to the merciful kindness of the deities of the mountain, every day, he and the other GAKI could drink ONE DROP of water each day.

The Gaki then went on to beg Shinran for relief in the form of food or water.

Shinran, however, did not believe that just because one had sinned, one had to suffer in hell. This included the Gaki.  He was certain that ANYONE who chanted nenbutsu ( the phrase NAMU AMIDA BUTSU) enough times would be saved.

And this, according to the story, is exactly what happened. After chanting with the Gaki for a day- they were saved and taken to heaven by a mysterious cloud.

And thus this story of Shinran on Mt Tsukuba explains why the followers of Jodo Shinshu do not believe it is necessary to make offering to GAKI. They do not have to stay suffering in hell and do not need food or drink. They can save themselves with NENBUTSU.

A painting of Shinran and the Gaki on Mt Tsukuba ( from the Jofuku-Ji temple in Ozone Tsukuba

In the center are the utensils for the GOMA TAKI (sacred fire) offering to Fudo-Sama. Leaning against the main altar are the SOTABA ( TO-BA in Ibaraki) which will later be placed at the cemetery

Beginning the Goma Taki ceremony

During the SEGAKI ceremony each person who attended (including myself) offered incense to the GAKI (souls who now exist as hungry demons)

After the ceremony the new SOTOBA were eager collected by the temples male congregants

After the SEGAKI ceremony, Oyama-Sensei stands next to the new SOTOBA which he would go on to place next to his family graves

 EXPERIENCING A SEGAKI CEREMONY IN TSUKUBA

This year, once again, I set out for the old Fudo-Zon Hall in Tsukuba`s Higashi Maeno neighborhood ( just behind the world famous particle smasher and the High Energy Physics Laboratory), amid the pulsating heat and drone of cicadas.

The Fudo-Zon Hall is connected with The Shingon Sect of Buddhism ( the most popular sect in Tsukuba`s old neighborhoods) and it is dedicated to Fudo-Myoo, a fierce, sword bearing deity, whose name means the UNMOVEABLE ONE.

The reason that O-Fudo Sama is so important to the Shingon Sect can be seen by looking at its NAME , as Kukai ( also known as Kobo Daishi), the great founder of that sect in Japan ( and one of the most influential men in Japanese history), put an image of the UNMOVEABLE ONE on the bow of the ship which was carrying him on his perilous journey back to Japan from China ( in the hope that the seas would be calm, i.e. NOT MOVE TO MUCH).

This notion of standing firm has also made Fudo-Myoo a popular image to pray to for safe chidbirth and protection from earthquakes.

Probably the reason the worship of O-Fudo Sama is so popular in this part of Japan is probably connected with the uprising of the rebel Taira No Masakado, and the six years of turmoil this involved.

After the self proclaimed New Emperor`s defeat ( in the late 10th century) the Imperial Court and aristocracy want to restore order and calm as represented by the UNMOVEABLE ONE.

Another important point is that O-Fudo-Sama`s special day (En nichi), is the 28th of each month. It is for that reason that the SEGAKI at this hall is performed each year on August 28th. The First En nichi after O-Bon.

The young priest Shana Yusei of the Shingon Temple Fumon-Ji in Hojo came to Higashi Maeno to perform the Segaki ( Aug. 28, 2011)

When I arrived, just in time at 3pm, the old hall was full- about 15 men ( almost all past retirement age), were seated cross-legged on cushions as the young priest began explaining ( for my benefit?), the meaning of the ceremony.

As I listened, I enjoyed the cool breezes which rolled through the ancient wooden structure ( Japanese traditional architecture is especially effective in helping fight the summer heat), and surveyed in awe the old images, utensils and the building itself. Occassionally a wisp of delicate incense tickled my nose.

The priests explanation of the SEGAKI was as follows ( this, is I assume the offical teaching of the Shingon Sect):

The SEGAKI ceremony has its roots in a SUTRA called the ENKU GAKI DARANI-KYO Sutra ( in Japanese). This ancient piece of Buddhist scripture speaks of ANNAN SONJA, a disciple of the Buddha, who had a terrible vision.

In it, a frightening GAKI appeared and told the astonished monk that he had three days to live and that he had better make offerings to GAKI. Not knowing how to make such offerings, the disciple went to the Buddha and found out.

After the proper ritual was made, this disciple is said to have gained great merit and to have lived to a ripe old age.

This was why, the priest explained, the SEGAKI ceremony is held by Buddhists even today.

He also emphasized ( most importantly) that the ritual should be carried out with a heart full of compassion.

Also, of great interest to me was an explanation of what exactly would be offered. There was incence, rice, and what is called MIZU NO KO (水の子)- bits of cucmber and eggplant sprinkled on lotus leaves. There were also flowers. All these offerings were placed on a special altar set up for the GAKI.

It was then time for the rites to begin.

First, prayers to O-Fudo Sama

The priest, in spectacular green garments with a gray sash embroidered with images of phoenixes ( Hi no Tori), took a seat ( cross legged on a cushion) and asked all to join hands for a moment in GASSHO.

He then sounded a gong and began chanting a strange chant, a growl in fact- almost like one clearing his throat and sinuses. This wierd vocalizing continued for what seemed like a very long time. Most of those in attendance sat motionless , with eyes closed.

With occassional gongings, the chant would change, once to a sing song then to something not unlike a rap. Hypnotic, soothing numbing.....

After about 40 minutes, the chanting came to an abrupt end, and the priest announced that the Segaki would begin.

Each man in turn approached the altar and dropped some incense onto the burner. This took less than 10 minutes.

When it was all over, the men eagerly snapped up their TOHBA, and headed off for home.

Shoes on the deck outside the Fudo Hall just before the SEGAKI service

A Daishi-Sama figure representing the great Buddhist monk Kukai

Zakumata- Y shaped sticks inscribed with Sanskrit and Chinese writing. This is a very local custom which involves beseeching dogs to intervene and help bring about an easy child-birth

I have written more on Tsukuba` s Fudo Halls here:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/07/higashiokas-fudo-ko-a-meeting-with-the-unmoveable-one/

and here:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/10/saikis-old-fudo-hall-and-its-traditional-monthly-womens-prayer-meetings/

and on the Goma Taki, here:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2007/12/tantric-fire-ritual-on-new-years-eve/

4 Comments

• At August 26, 2011, alice wrote:

  The Chinese Buddhist or Taoist also have a "Ghost Festival" and the seventh month of the lunar calendar is the "Ghost Month". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival

• At August 28, 2011, Josho Adrian Cirlea wrote:

  Thank you for the article. I especially liked Shinran' story with the gaki. because I am a priest in this tradition (from Romania). Please tell me, is Jofuku-Ji temple in Ozone Tsukuba,where that image with Shinran is placed, a Jodo Shinshu temple? And if it is, to which branch it belongs?

• At August 29, 2011, Avi Landau wrote:

  The Jofuku-Ji Temple ( 常福寺）in Ozone,Tsukuba IS a Jodo Shinshu Temple. It belongs to the Otani ( Higashi Hongan-Ji) Branch and was founded in the year 1216 in another part of what is now Ibaraki Prefecture ( Hitachi Omiya City). It was moved to its present location in Tsukuba in 1541.

  Thanks for reading Tsukublog and even more for writing in.

  Are you living in Japan or are you in Romania?

  There are many sites here in Tsukuba and the surrounding area connected with Shinran. I will be writing more in future posts.

  All the best

  Avi

• At August 30, 2011, Josho Adrian Cirlea wrote:

  Thank you for your answer! I live in Romania and I am the representative of Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Association from this country - Nishi Hongwanji branch. We are few followers here.

  I am looking forward to read new articles on this website

As I mentioned in my last posting, preparations for O-Shogatsu traditionally began on December 13th with a big end-of-the-year cleaning called susu-harai, or the getting rid of the grime ceremony. This originally had religious significance, in that it was believed that on New Year's, the Toshigami-Sama (年神様), or the God of the New Year visits each household which welcomes it/them. It was thus necessary to purify the inside and outside of the house, shop, or office before other preparations could begin. As with most things in Japan, there is a proper way to go about doing this, with a set order in which to proceed. The rule is to begin with the places that New Year's decorations will be placed: the Buddhist and Shinto altars (for the returning ancestral spirits and the god of the New Year, respectively), the alcove (toko no ma) in the tatami room and above the place where cooking is done. Then the rest of the house is cleaned. It is important to start at the ceiling (over the altars and alcove, etc.) knocking down dust and cobwebs, and working down until everything can be dusted, swept up, and then wiped clean (with new washing rags which should be purchased in this season). One interesting custom is sprinkling the wet dregs of Japanese tea (I mean the used tea leaves) on the mats of the tatami room before sweeping. This supposedly keeps the dust from rising. It also might have an anti-bacterial effect, and certainly gives the room a nice smell for a few days. In contemporary Japan many families wait till after Christmas for this big winter cleaning, but temples, shrines, companies and some families still keep the traditional date. One interesting point to remember is that the male head of the house, should participate in this cleaning and in all the rest of these preparations. This is because the Toshigami-Sama is a female deity according to some, who would not want to visit a home where the wife had to do all the work!

You can have a look at an NHK video of the annual susuharai at the famous Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama, which is held on the 16th of December. Please note that men are doing the cleaning and that they start at the top and work their way down.

After the house has been properly cleaned and purified, it is time to prepare and set up the traditional O-Shogatsu decorations. These include Kado-Matsu (門松), which are placed at both sides of entrances to houses and shops, shimenawa (注連縄) which are sacred ropes for the Shinto altar, Shimekazari (注連飾り), which are decorations for the front door, toko no ma kazari (床の間飾り) for the alcove, and kagami mochi (鏡餅), specially decorated rice cakes used as offerings to the Toshigami-Sama.

These decorations are collectively called O-Shogatsu Kazari (お正月飾り), and they are made almost exclusively of plants or plant matter, such as rice plants or rice cakes, bamboo, pine, plum, etc. Since the New Year begins after the winter solstice, a time of rebirth before spring (especially according to the old calendar), plants were used as symbols of life and rebirth. The Japanese expression for congratulations, omedeto, originally comes from the expression ome (お芽) de (出） to (度う), which means sprouts appear, or to sprout or to sprout forth. These decorations are a celebration of LIFE, RENEWAL and the BOUNTY of NATURE. Traditionally, they should be put up by December 28th, as the 29th (niju ku nichi) has the sound KU in it which is a homophone for the word suffering, and decorating on the 31st  is considered to be too hasty and very unlucky. The 30th is thus the last day on which the Shogatsu Kazari should be set. 

The Kado Matsu, which usually consists of 3 bamboo stems (representing heaven, earth, and man), pine branches, and plum bound together are placed at each side of the main gate to a house, shop, or building and are believed to act as YORISHIRO, poles or antennae on which the GODS can descend. Pines, which are evergreen, represent long life, and plum is the earliest blooming flowering tree of the year, resistant to cold. Bamboo grows vigorously, straight and tall, making these plants highly auspicious. Placing Kado Matsu at the doorway ensures that the Toshigami can find your house without confusion. This custom as it exists today seems to have originated in the Edo Period (1600-1868), though the aristocrats of the Heian court would go to gather pine branches on New Year's Day. Before WWII it was common to go cut the pine branches and bamboo for Kado Matsu on the 13th of December, but now they are usually bought at stores and set up by the 28th. Have a look at my favorite home-made Kado Matsu in this area (I go see them every year) which you can see near the restaurant KISE.

By the way, in some parts of Japan, in commercial districts Kado Matsu are sold at exorbitant prices by the Yakuza (Japanese Gangsters) or other con-artists. My friend from Osaka showed me a little card with Kado Matsu printed on them. He would use them to show these salesmen that he already had Kado Matsu and would not need to purchase any new ones.

Shimenawa at Yatabe's DORO ICHI

For placing in the Shinto altar, twisted sacred rope was usually made from straw, but can now can be purchased at any department store or home center. These shimenawa are twisted counter-clockwise (except for the giant shimenawa at the Izumo Grand Shrine), as this is the proper direction for inviting the gods (it is the direction of Bon dancing and the sumo wrestlers' ritual). The shimenawa demarcates a sacred space, keeps out evil and also acts as a sign post for the gods. The origin of these sacred ropes lies in the story of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, who after having been lured out of the cave she had been hiding in (ama no iwa to) and bringing back with her the sunshine which the world had been temporarily deprived of, was prevented from ever going back into seclusion by a rope of straw which was placed over the mouth of the cave. You can see a typical shimenawa here.

Shimekazari at the Yatabe Doro Ichi

For hanging on the front door, there is the shimekazari, which varies from region to region but always contains many auspicious ingredients. In this area, there is usually a small folding fan on top representing the spreading of your seed (plenty of descendants), an orange (daidai) whose Japanese name also means GENERATION AFTER GENERATION, and a small lobster (in Tsukuba these are usually plastic!) who with their bent backs represent attaining old age. There is also some red and white folded SHIDE paper which is effective for preventive impurities from entering the house.

Since ancient times, pounded rice cakes (o-mochi) have been offered to the gods as sacred food in Japan, and they have a central role in New Year's celebrations. The two (or more) round rice cakes stacked one on the other and set in the Shinto altar and in the toko no ma alcove during O-Shogatsu are called kagami-mochi (鏡餅), which means mirror mochi. This is a reference to the ancient bronze mirrors which were believed to be sacred treasures and receptacles of the gods. Two rice cakes, one smaller than the other, represent the sun and the moon, yin and yang, and marital bliss. In the old days, these cakes would be made by each family, but now they can conveniently be bought at supermarkets and department stores. They are usually placed on a wooden tray and often decorated in the same way as the other New Year's decorations are.

It is also customary to decorate the tokonoma (alcove in the tatami room) with appropriately auspicious decorations. A hanging scroll with pine, plum, lucky Gods or cranes, kagami mochi, and rice or other crops can help create the proper O-Shogatsu atmosphere.

Well, I think that that is enough for today, as I have to finish up my own New Year's cleaning and then head off to the DORO ICHI in Yatabe, to pick up this year's oshogatsu decorations.  Maybe I'll see you there.