 Most viewed - Sanno-sai Festival 山王祭 |
Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture911 views
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The Sanno-sai Festival is held annually on April 12-15 at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Not to be confused with the Sanno Matsuri held by Hie Shrine in Tokyo. It centers on April 14, the shrine's most important day called Reisai.830 views
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Barge loaded with mikoshi approaching Wakamiya Port. Sanno-sai Festival.499 views
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Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture438 views
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Hiyoshi Taisha is at the foot of Mt. Hiei (home of Enryakuji temple) and it worships the mountain god. The Sanno-sai festival is the shrine's biggest festival and one of Shiga's biggest festivals. MAP435 views
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They carried the mikoshi on a rainy day on April 14, 2009.362 views
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THe Flower Procession is held to celebrate the birth of the shrine's child god. Therefore, this event centers on the parent-child connection.354 views
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All four groups of men then rocked the mikoshi back and forth. making thunderous noise. Very dramatic. This is called Yomiya Otoshi. 宵宮落し神事344 views
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The Sanno Festival (in Japanese it's called Sanno-sai, not Sanno Matsuri) consists of a myriad of festival events. Also interesting is the participation of Buddhist priests from Enryakuji temple atop Mt. Hiei.339 views
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Torch bearers arrive at the Yomiya-jo while running.337 views
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Wakamiya Shrine near Wakamiya Port.334 views
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Next day on April 14, the Reisai day, the schedule is filled with more ceremonies and events. At 10 am, the Reisai ceremony is held at Nishi Hongu with the Tendai Zasu Abbot from Enryakuji in attendance. He is under the red umbrella.325 views
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The Tendai Abbot leaves Nishi Hongu in a procession of Buddhist priests.318 views
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Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture305 views
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Yomiya-jo302 views
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These guys can get pretty drunk as they haul the torches.299 views
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The Flower Procession ends at the Yomiya-jo where they bless the child in front of the mikoshi. This Flower Procession ceremony costs the proud, doting parents big bucks.295 views
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It was raining this day on April 14, 2009. This is the Romon Gate to Nishi Hongu.291 views
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The procession includes samurai.289 views
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At 1 pm on the Sando main road leading to Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, the Flower Procession (Hana-watari-shiki) is held with little kids dressed up as nobility. 288 views
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Family portrait with the chigo child.288 views
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288 views
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On April 12, they raucously bring down portable shrines from Mt. Hachioji nearby in the evening. On April 13, they hold a series of ceremonies including this one called the Tea Offering Ceremony at 11 am. 献茶祭286 views
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Afterward, they move to Hiyoshi Taisha's Nishi Hongu Shrine.286 views
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Mikoshi bearers were standing by at Wakamiya Port and one by one they offloaded the mikoshi from the barge.280 views
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Mikoshi ornaments were then installed on the mikoshi.278 views
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They stop and after a few speeches, they drop the mikoshi with a bang to symbolize the birth of the child god. Also see my YouTube video here.277 views
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The Tea Offering Ceremony is held at the Yomiya-jo where the four portable shrines (mikoshi) are placed. 宵宮場 大政所276 views
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276 views
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April 13 climaxes in the evening with the Yomiya Otoshi Ceremony starting with a torch procession around the streets near Hiyoshi Taisha from 6 pm.276 views
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276 views
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Interesting to see Buddhist priests chanting Buddhist sutras in front of a Shinto shrine.276 views
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Hi kids!275 views
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More bowing between priests.275 views
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274 views
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Flower Procession on Sando 花渡り式273 views
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Monkey carvings on a mikoshi. The monkey is the messenger of the mountain god.272 views
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The Tendai Abbot leaving Nishi Hongu.272 views
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The tea is offered to each of the four mikoshi which had been brought down from Mt. Hachioji the night before. The tea is said to bring safe childbirths.271 views
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Assistants stand on the steps of the Nishi Hongu.271 views
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Young ceremony assistants.271 views
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On the left is the Haiden Hall with the mikoshi which were brought there the night before from the Yomiya-jo. Nishi Hongu's Honden (main hall) is on the right. 例祭270 views
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270 views
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Now at the Yomiya-jo where the four mikoshi are placed. The torch bearers run from the Sando road to Yomiya-jo. This is at around 9 pm.269 views
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Delivering the tea.267 views
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The fun is not over until they start to carry the mikoshi out of the Yomiya-jo. They run with the mikoshi and make it very dramatic (and dangerous if you're in their way).267 views
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Some kids get tried and end up being carried.266 views
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The Tendai Zasu Abbot proceeds to Nishi Hongu.266 views
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The next ceremony is the Hitsuji Offering Ceremony conducted by parishioners from Hiyoshi Jinja Shrine in Kyoto. Starting at 3 pm on April 13, this ceremony has been conducted for many centuries since the Heian Period. 未の御供献納祭265 views
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Spectators come to see their classmates in the procession.264 views
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The Tendai Abbot (orange robes) lines up along with other Enryakuji Buddhist priests on the Sando path of Hiyoshi Taisha.264 views
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Sacred Horse (dummy) on a small truck proceeds around the shrine at 1 pm. I wonder how they did this in the old days. 御浦神事264 views
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Two more groups arrive while running.263 views
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The torch procession gather at Shogenji temple at 7 pm on April 13.262 views
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Mikoshi bearers are taken by bus to the boat dock at 七本柳の浜 which was too far away for me to reach in time.262 views
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More Tendai priests from Enryakuji temple proceed to Nishi Hongu. Buddhist priests do not wear the flappy cap like Shinto priests.260 views
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Hiyoshi Taisha's Nishi Hongu (West) Shrine. This building is a National Treasure. 西本宮259 views
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The Shinto priests proceed to Nishi Hongu.259 views
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Tendai Zasu Abbot 天台座主259 views
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Shogenji temple where all the torch bearers will gather later. Shogenji is a Tendai Buddhist temple on the Sando road. 生源寺258 views
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Festival participants make their way to the shrine.258 views
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They then carried the mikoshi from the Haiden to the Sando road.257 views
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Flower Procession draws large crowds.256 views
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Four of the mikoshi were to be carried by humans. 256 views
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Flower Procession. They walk slowly and deliberately with parents and relatives in tow. 花渡り式255 views
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After the Reisai Ceremony, the Tendai Abbot leaves Nishi Hongu through the Romon Gate.255 views
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Delivering the tea.254 views
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Heading down Sando road.254 views
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Hiyoshi Taisha's tea field is said to be Japan's oldest. Tea picked from this field is presented to the gods housed in the portable shrines.253 views
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After the Tea Offering Ceremony, they march back.253 views
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The first group arrive at Yomiya-jo and go to their mikoshi.253 views
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The Tendai Abbot receives the sacred branch to be offered at Nishi Hongu.253 views
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Ceremony in front of a shishi lion head.253 views
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Shrine parishioners carry giant torches around the streets of Sakamoto the neighborhood of Hiyoshi Taisha.252 views
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The first group start to violently rock the mikoshi back and forth.251 views
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The Hitsuji offerings include arrows, bells, brushes, dolls, flowers, and sweets. Priests give prayers as they deliver the offerings.250 views
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The Tendai Abbot chants a sutra in front of the Honden at Nishi Hongu. 読経250 views
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Mikoshi bearers on Sando road make their way to the shrine.250 views
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These photos were taken on April 13-14, 2009. I still have to see the other ceremonies.249 views
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Samurai warriors in the Flower Procession.249 views
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Evidence of how close Shinto and Buddhism were in past centuries in Japan.249 views
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THe head priest of Hiyoshi Taisha greets the Tendai Abbot.249 views
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Another group arrive and position themselves at another mikoshi.247 views
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At 1 pm, they held the Large Sakaki Branch Returning Ceremony at Nishi Hongu. The branch was returned from Tenson Shrine (天孫神社/西宮神社). Sakaki is a type of evergreen sacred to Shinto. 大榊還御247 views
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The offerings are given to the four mikoshi at the Yomiya-jo storehouse.246 views
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All the torch groups head for the temple.246 views
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神輿神幸246 views
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Passing under another torii facing Sando road.246 views
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The mikoshi pass under the Sanno torii.246 views
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Three of the mikoshi were put on trucks.245 views
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Little kids in ceremonial dress for this fesival are called chigo. 稚児243 views
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There they go, racing to Nishi Hongu Shrine. And that's it for April 13.243 views
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Mikoshi bearers run through Nishi Hongu's Romon Gate.243 views
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At 2:30 pm, they started carrying the mikoshi.242 views
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Hiyoshi Taisha torii on the shore of Lake Biwa. This is not where they load the boat with the mikoshi.240 views
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Nishi Hongu Haiden Hall has the mikoshi portable shrines.239 views
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All four groups have arrived and they stand around the mikoshi. There are more people behind the mikoshi as well.238 views
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The Tendai Zasu Abbot is escorted to the Honden.238 views
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Mikoshi bearers run to the shrine.238 views
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Returning the large sakaki branch from Tenson Shrine. 大榊還御237 views
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Then the mikoshi sailed to Wakamiya Port. 船渡御237 views
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The mikoshi departed by boat at 3 pm. They were put on a barge pulled by a tugboat. The barge sailed off the coast of Karasaki Shrine where they held a ceremony.237 views
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Mikoshi on trucks to transport them to the boat dock.236 views
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Carrying the mikoshi through Romon Gate at Nishi Hongu.235 views
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Flower Procession, Sanno-sai Festival. There are two escorts wearing ceremonial aprons and they drag a wand over the road. 234 views
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After the sakaki branch ceremony, at 1:30 pm they held the Haiden Departure Ceremony at the Haiden where seven mikoshi were placed. 拝殿出し神事234 views
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They passed through the Romon Gate.231 views
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One after another, they carried out the seven mikoshi.231 views
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It was done with great fanfare.229 views
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The four mikoshi at the Yomiya-jo storehouse.228 views
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Ceremony attendees.227 views
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The Tendai Abbot offers the sacred branch.224 views
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The mikoshi return to land at Wakamiya Port.223 views
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People head for Nishi Hongu where the mikoshi are.216 views
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