 Most viewed - Meoto-Iwa Wedded Rocks 夫婦岩 |
Meoto-Iwa Wedded Rocks off the coast of Futami-cho, Ise city, Mie Prefecture. 夫婦岩1047 views
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The shrine is dedicated to Sarutahiko and Ukano-mitama. Sarutahiko is a god which serves as a pathfinder guide. Deities for land/sea transportation safety. 二見477 views
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Futami Okitama Shrine does not have a main hall (Honden) like most other shrines. It worships the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean beyond the Wedded Rocks. 二見興玉神社429 views
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The Wedded Rocks are part of Futami Okitama Shrine known for frog sculptures. 二見興玉神社406 views
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The Wedded Rocks are actually a type of torii gate for worshipping the Okitama Sacred Stone in the ocean.359 views
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Five ropes are being positioned and made taut.333 views
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All the while, the cheering section chants and wave streamers.330 views
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Replacing the rope for the Wedded Rocks, Mie Pref.313 views
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Wedded Rocks with a new rope. Japan has numerous other Wedded Rocks and stones, but this is by far the most famous.308 views
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The ropes are now completely cut, breaking the bond between the two rocks.296 views
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The frog is Sarutahiko's messenger. Frog is called "kaeru" in Japanese, which is a homonym for the another word meaning "return home." If you travel a lot, pray here for a safe return. 夫婦岩282 views
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The job is finished.260 views
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The torii on the larger rock is quite small. The sacred rope is replaced three times a year on May 5, September 5, and at the end of December.258 views
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The rope installers return to shore.250 views
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The new ropes are strung across the two rocks. A small rope tied to the end of the large rope is used to pull the large rope up the rock.246 views
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Men carry spanking-new shimenawa ropes to the rocks.245 views
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The men begin to cut off the old rope. Those sharp sickles soon made short work of the old sacred ropes which were brought ashore in small pieces.245 views
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5月5日、9月5日と12月下旬には夫婦岩の大注連縄の張り替え神事が行われる。これらの写真は5月5日に撮影された。231 views
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The ceremony attracts a large crowd.227 views
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221 views
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The shimenawa rope actually consists of five smaller ropes. They cut the ropes one by one.218 views
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The shimenawa rope bonding the Wedded Rocks is replaced three times a year. May 5, when these photos were taken, is one of the days when they replace the rope. First, they gathered at the shrine at 10 am for a 30-min. prayer ceremony.212 views
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Pieces of the old rope. Anyone could take home the pieces of old sacred rope if they wanted.207 views
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Lantern and sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine202 views
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196 views
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Making sure that the rope is aligned and positioned correctly.190 views
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One by one, the men carefully positioned the new sacred ropes on the two Rocks. All the while, young children and young men are chanting on the shore.188 views
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185 views
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Sunset at Futami Okitama Shrine. In the old days when traveling was a hazardous undertaking in Japan, pilgrims who traveled to worship at the Ise Grand Shrines prayed here for a safe return home.183 views
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The second rope is installed.183 views
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180 views
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178 views
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176 views
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The old rope is taken away.172 views
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171 views
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The first rope is wound around both rocks.170 views
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