Image search results - "hyozu" - JAPAN PHOTOS by Philbert Ono

Image search results - "hyozu"

Hyozu Taisha is amid rice paddies. The row of pine trees in the distance marks the path to the shrine. This is the view from the bus stop.

Front torii gate of Hyozu Taisha Shrine. MAP

After the front torii, there is a 300-meter gravel path lined with pine trees.

Then turn left to see the Taikobashi Bridge and red torii.

After the red torii is this red Romon Gate, said to have been donated by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji. The shrine also has historic ties to Minamoto Yoritomo and the Tokugawa shoguns.

Pass through the Romon Gate and this 100-meter path goes straight to the shrine's Haiden Hall.

Established in 717 (Nara Period), Hyozu Taisha worships a god named Onamuchi-no-Mikoto (大己貴命) also called Yachihoko (八千矛神). Onamuchi-no-Mikoto is a god of nation-building, farming, business, and medicine.

Hyozu Taisha Shrine. It worships the same god as Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture. Yachihoko is known as the god of military strength. Japan's famous warriors desired this god's blessings and so patronized this shrine.

Monument for used and broken needles.

About Hyozu Taisha's Japanese garden. The garden dates back to the Heian Period. It was here even before the shrine moved here. The original garden was built by a local aristocrat named Harima-no-Kamisukeyori 播磨守資頼 who lived here in the Kama

Hyozu Taisha's Japanese garden, nationally noted as a famous garden. 兵主大社庭園

This garden is also beautiful in fall when they light up the autumn leaves at night (see photos below).

Torii and gate at night

Path to shrine

Hyozu Taisha Shrine at night

Hyozu Taisha Shrine's Japanese garden at night in fall. It's really beautiful. Like someone painted colorful autumn leaves on a black canvas.

Mini concert at night. They had a few solo musicians playing romantic night songs like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Very nice.

Romon Gate at night in fall.

The Hyozu Matsuri is held at Hyozu Taisha Shrine during May 3-6, but the 5th is the climax with the mikoshi parade. This is the shrine's first torii. This is at the front end of a 300-meter pine tree-lined path. Infrequent buses go to the shrine from Yasu Station (North exit). So infrequent that you might need to take a taxi. 一の鳥居

There is the 300-meter, pine tree-lined gravel path to the shrine from the first torii. MAP

A Shinto ceremony is held at the shrine in the morning. Then by noon or so, over 30 portable shrines and taiko drums gather here on this path for the annual Hyozu Matsuri on May 5.

When I visited this shrine before, I wondered what these stone markers were for. Now I know. They have the name of a portable shrine, indicating the place where the respective portable shrines can be parked along this path during the festival.

At the end of the pine tree path, the second torii is red, right after the Taikobashi Bridge.

When I arrived, the Ayame girls were rehearsing their routine for the festival in front of this red Romon Gate. This gate was said to have been donated by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji in the 14th century. 楼門

"Ayame" means iris flower, in reference to women. Out of the 30+ portable shrines (mikoshi) and taiko drums to be paraded during the festival, two of them, called Ayame, are carried only by women. These women will carry the Ayame mikoshi and tai

Ayame girls rehearsing their festival call.

Ayame girls at Hyozu Matsuri.

At the festival start time, the Ayame girls start carrying the taiko drum and mikoshi from this gate.

Also see my video at YouTube.

It was a beautiful festival day on May 5, 2010. The Ayame girls wore colorful happi coats which really added color to the festival.

After the taiko drum, a second group of girls start carrying the Ayame mikoshi.

They crossed over the Taikobashi Bridge. あやめ神輿

They leave here and proceed along the pine tree path to the first torii. Then they will come back here and go back and forth a few times during the festival.

A set routine is lowering and raising the mikoshi.

Many of the mikoshi are for children. The mikoshi come from smaller shrines in the area related to Hyozu Taisha.

There are several large mikoshi carried by men. All the mikoshi and taiko drums have a name.

They shout "Choitosa!" while carrying the mikoshi. チョイトサ

One mikoshi was missing. Maybe it was lost.

At this end of the pine tree path, there is the Taikobashi Bridge and the red torii. This is where the crowd is concentrated to see the mikoshi being raised and the phoenix atop the mikoshi pulled out and raised by the mikoshi rider..