 Last additions - Taga 多賀町 |
The oni went back on stage.Feb 15, 2009
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The oni first appeared amid smoke on the Kaguraden stage and danced menacingly. They were from a dance troupe called Inbara Kaguradan in Shimane Prefecture. 鬼の舞は、島根県石見地方の因原（いんばら）神楽団が奉納。Taga Taisha had impressive ogre (called oni in Japanese) dancers from Shimane Prefecture to act as the demons to chase away during the festival.Feb 15, 2009
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Taga Taisha Shrine's Setsubun bean throwing on Feb. 3 (at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm) is perhaps Shiga's most prominent with three impressive demons (called oni) on stage acting as the evil oni to be chased away with soybeans.Feb. 3 is the Setsubun Festival at many temples and shrines in Japan. It marks the beginning of spring according to the lunar calendar. So they throw beans at ogre to eliminate the evil of the previous year and bring in good fortune.Feb 15, 2009
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Then the oni ran on the elevated hanamichi making threats to an amused crowd. MAPFeb 15, 2009
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This was in May, and these birds often make nests in train station and even public restrooms where people often come and go. The people protect them from predators such as crows. And their nests are too high for people to reach.Jun 03, 2008
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Here's the mother flying in to feed her young.Jun 03, 2008
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On the ceiling of Taga Taisha-mae Station, there are sparrow (or are they swallows?) bird nests. This one had chicks waiting for its mother.Jun 03, 2008
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Some kind of new monument in front of the train station.Jun 03, 2008
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For our 500 yen donation, we got a thin towel with a nice design. It is the same one worn by the rice-planting girls. Also see the Yasu Rice-Planting Festival. お田植え祭手ぬぐいJun 03, 2008
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Taga Taisha O-taue Matsuri poster. I enjoyed the festival, but was a little shocked that we had to pay money to see it. There's no notice saying that a donation is required to see the festival. I don't mind paying, but it should be mentioned somewJun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Muddy pants. Passers by exclaimed, "Look at their feet!"Jun 03, 2008
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The shrine priests and taume girls return to Taga Taisha Shrine.Jun 03, 2008
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This paddy is unfinished, but looks pretty neat.Jun 03, 2008
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This unfinished paddy looks pretty messy. I think they should've finished planting all the paddies before ending the festival. Only one of the four paddies was completed.Jun 03, 2008
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The Taiko Drum troupe from Asahi, Maibara pose for a photo in front of the taiko bridge at the shrine.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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The shrine priests and taume girls return to Taga Taisha Shrine.Jun 03, 2008
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Taume rice planting girls leave the rice paddy.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Washing their hands in a bucket of water.Jun 03, 2008
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Unfinished work.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Nearing the end. However, they did not finish planting the entire paddy. They ended the festival at around 3 pm even though three of the four paddies were still unfinished.Jun 03, 2008
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The work continues, without the singing and dancing.Jun 03, 2008
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Washing their muddy feet.Jun 03, 2008
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At 3:10 pm, they started to leave the rice paddy.Jun 03, 2008
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The singers stopped singing and just watched.Jun 03, 2008
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O-taue rice-planting dancers take a break.Jun 03, 2008
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Rice seedlings in handJun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Girl planting rice, Taga Taisha O-taue Matsuri, Shiga PrefectureJun 03, 2008
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On stage, shrine maidens perform the Yuminomai Arrow Dance. 弓の舞Jun 03, 2008
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Keeping the hat on seemed to be common problem.Jun 03, 2008
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I feel sorry for the launderer of the costumes after they finish.Jun 03, 2008
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These two girls did away with the hat which could not stay on.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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The rice paddy is not in a scenic location. Being next to a busy road, it was quite noisy.Jun 03, 2008
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Otaue odori dancer at Taga Taisha Rice-planting Festival (O-taue Matsuri).Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Taume rice-planting girl at Taga Taisha Rice-planting Festival, Shiga Prefecture.Jun 03, 2008
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The rice-planting dancers stay out of the mud. They took a break twice or so, but the rice planters had to continue non-stop.Jun 03, 2008
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Besides the rice planters, there are rice-planting dancers who dance along the paddy's perimeter. They dance to the rice-planting song sung on stage. 御田植踊Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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The boys in blue on both ends are holding a string to serve as a guide for planting the seedlings in a straight line.Jun 03, 2008
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O-taue odori dancersJun 03, 2008
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The taume girls start to plant the rice seedlings to match the tune of the rice-planting song sung by the girls on stage.Jun 03, 2008
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Now you know why some old Japanese women crouch when they walk. They used to plant rice. Of course, these days, most rice is planted mechanically.Jun 03, 2008
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The taume girls enter the rice paddy at about 2 pm.Jun 03, 2008
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After the Oyushiki, the singers on stage start singing the rice-planting song. 御田植歌Jun 03, 2008
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They plant the rice seedlings while walking backwards in the ankle-deep mud.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Taume girl at the Taga Taisha Rice-planting FestivalJun 03, 2008
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Rice seedlings await.Jun 03, 2008
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On the lower right, the guy in blue tries to shield himself from the spray of boiling water. The crowd laughed.Jun 03, 2008
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Rice-planting dancers sit through the Oyushiki ceremony.Jun 03, 2008
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She pours sacred sake into the boiling pot.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Oyushiki ceremony is performed to purify the sacred rice paddies during the Taga Taisha Rice-Planting Festival. 御湯式Jun 03, 2008
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She flings the branches backward over her head, creating a spray of hot water. She did this a few times. Also see my YouTube video here.Jun 03, 2008
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Hat problem.Jun 03, 2008
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She dips two green branches into the pot, then...Jun 03, 2008
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The ceremony has a pot of boiling water.Jun 03, 2008
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Oyushiki ceremony is performed to purify the sacred rice paddies during the Taga Taisha Rice-Planting Festival. 御湯式Jun 03, 2008
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The cross at the center.Jun 03, 2008
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The taume girls take their places.Jun 03, 2008
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Singer with a tall flower hat.Jun 03, 2008
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After everyone is in place, on the stage, the Oyushiki ceremony is performed to purify the sacred rice paddies. 御湯式Jun 03, 2008
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Taume girls proceed while holding rice seedlings.Jun 03, 2008
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Jun 03, 2008
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Taume rice planters at the Taga Taisha Rice-planting Festival. 田植女Jun 03, 2008
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The procession encircle the paddies.Jun 03, 2008
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Priests and taume girls enter the paddy.Jun 03, 2008
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The 70 rice planters are junior high school girls in colorful costumes. They are called Taume. 田植女Jun 03, 2008
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At around 1:45 pm, a procession of priests and the 70 rice planters entered.Jun 03, 2008
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These girls will sing the rice-planting song. 歌女Jun 03, 2008
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Spectator tents were set up on both sides of the rice paddy. There weren't so many people. Not all the benches were filled.Jun 03, 2008
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It was a marvelous performance. Although I think it would've been more impressive if they performed on the ground beside the paddies.Jun 03, 2008
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The music was a mixture of taiko drums, flutes, and a gong. They performed for about 30 min. 国指定無形文化財Jun 03, 2008
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They performed the Rich Harvest Taiko Dance (Honen Taiko Odori). 豊年太鼓踊り 国指定無形文化財Jun 03, 2008
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The Rich Harvest Taiko Dance (Honen Taiko Odori) is an Intangible Cultural Property. Also see my YouTube video here. 豊年太鼓踊りJun 03, 2008
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Taiko drum troupe from Maibara enters the sacred rice paddy and head for the stage.Jun 03, 2008
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Taga Taisha Shrine's torii is festooned with red banners reading " Taga Taisha O-taue Matsuri" or Rice-Planting Festival. Held on the first Sunday in June at 1 pm at the shrine. MAPJun 03, 2008
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Near Taga Taisha Shrine is the sacred rice paddies divided by a cross in the middle to form the kanji "ta" (田) which means rice paddy. This is the site of the rice planting festival starting at 2 pm. A 500 yen donation is required to go insideJun 03, 2008
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Ohmi Railways Taga Taisha-mae Station. The shrine is a 10-min. walk from this station. 近江鉄道 多賀大社前駅Sep 14, 2007
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Taga Taisha-mae Station platform and Ohmi Railways train.Sep 14, 2007
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Inside Ohmi Railways train.Sep 14, 2007
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Exhibition space inside Taga Taisha-mae Station. Also good as a waiting room.Sep 14, 2007
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Lantern-lit path to Taga TaishaSep 14, 2007
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Shishimai lion danceSep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Dragon danceSep 14, 2007
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Taga Taisha Lantern Festival also had some entertainment. Also see my YouTube video here.Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Entertainment with a dragon danceSep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Entertainment on stageSep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Lanterns at nightSep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Gate to shrineSep 14, 2007
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Direct path to Taga Taisha Shrine hallSep 14, 2007
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Torii with lanterns litSep 14, 2007
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These lanterns hanging in the main shrine hall must be the most expensive ones.Sep 14, 2007
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The shrine also recently got its roof rethatched. The roof looked spanking new.Sep 14, 2007
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As evening approaches, the crowd increases.Sep 14, 2007
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Main shrine hallSep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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These lanterns above are the smallest ones, requiring a donation of only 1,500 yen. They are the most numerous.Sep 14, 2007
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Approaching the main shrine hall.Sep 14, 2007
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Festival schedule, starting at 5:30 pm and ending after 9 pm.Sep 14, 2007
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Each lantern is lit with a small lightbulb. (No candles)Sep 14, 2007
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Kids carrying mikoshi portable shrine. They went to the train station.Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Taga Taisha's lanterns come in five sizes. Each one represents a donation. The donar's name is on the lantern. The biggest lantern requires a donation of 20,000 yen.Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Mantosai sign under the toriiSep 14, 2007
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Arched bridge leading to shrine gate.Sep 14, 2007
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Taga Taisha Shrine toriiSep 14, 2007
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Near the shrine entrance are the usual food stalls.Sep 14, 2007
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Sep 14, 2007
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Welcome to TagaSep 14, 2007
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Homes along the way are decorated.Sep 14, 2007
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Held during Aug. 3-5 at Taga Taisha Shrine, the Mantosai or 10,000-Lantern Festival is a night festival when numerous lanterns are lit within the shrine grounds. The lanterns are for the repose of ancestral spirits.Sep 14, 2007
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Road to Taga Taisha ShrineSep 14, 2007
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Taga Taisha Shrine torii near Taga Taisha-mae Station. MAPSep 14, 2007
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Oct 23, 2005
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Oct 23, 2005
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Oct 23, 2005
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Dance by shrine maidens on New Year's Day 2005 at Taga Taisha Shrine.. Also see the 2005 video at YouTube.Oct 23, 2005
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Buying New Year's decorations and charms.Oct 23, 2005
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Taga Taisha is dedicated to Izanagi and Izanami, husband and wife deities who created the islands of Japan and many other gods such as Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. According to the Kojiki Ancient Records, Izanagi retired in Taga, so this shrine was built.Oct 23, 2005
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Taga Taisha Shrine, Shiga. Taga Taisha rethatched its roof and celebrated with a festival in Oct. 2007.Oct 23, 2005
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Giving New Year's prayers at Taga Taisha shrine.Oct 23, 2005
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