 Most viewed - Yuki Saiden Rice-Planting Festival 悠紀斎田 お田植えまつり
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Rice-planting Festival in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture with Mt. Mikami in the background. Also see my YouTube video here.161 views
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This rice paddy near the foot of Mt. Mikami and next to Mikami Shrine was used to produce the rice offering used for the Showa Emperor Hirohito's accession to the throne in 1928. Such a paddy is called Yuki Saiden. 悠紀斎田150 views
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Rice-planting festival dancer, Yasu, Shiga Pref.142 views
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Rice-planting festival dancer, Yasu, Shiga Pref.132 views
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Woman planting rice at the rice-planting festival in Yasu, Shiga Prefecture.115 views
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On the fourth Sunday in May, the Yuki Saiden O-taue Matsuri, or Rice-planting Festival is held here. It starts at 10 am with a Shinto ceremony with the planters and local dignitaries in attendance in front of the rice paddy.99 views
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Almost finished planting the rice in this paddy. The festival was over after 11 am.95 views
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They wear a sedge hat (suge-kasa すげ笠), red trousers (緋ばかま), wrist covers (手甲), and leggings (脚絆).82 views
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Rice-planting Festival Shinto ceremony. A torii stands next to the rice paddy. MAP74 views
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First they threw bunches of rice seedlings into the paddy.73 views
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Everyone took off their straw sandals and went into the paddies barefoot.72 views
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This rice paddy was used to produce the rice used for a ritual called the Daijosai as part of the Showa Emperor's accession ceremonies in 1928. Selected by the Imperial Household Agency, the Yuki Saiden sacred rice paddy must be east of Kyoto. 悠72 views
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Ready to sink into the paddy.71 views
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For the Daijosai, another sacred rice paddy is also selected to the west of Kyoto. That paddy is called Suki Saiden. In 1928, it was located in Fukuoka Pref.70 views
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A gate with sacred rope64 views
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The rice paddy actually consists of four square paddies divided by cross-shaped ridges. When you see it from above, it looks like the kanji "ta" 田 which means rice paddy.63 views
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63 views
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At 10:30 am when the ceremony was over, they proceeded to the rice paddies. Four groups of planters and dancers went to the four paddies.62 views
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Although a Shinto priest from Mikami Shrine conducts the ceremony, the festival is organized by the Yasu Tourist Association. The rice planters and dancers are from a local rice-planting preservation group.60 views
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Their feet are more than ankle deep in the mud. No one lost their balance and fell into the mud.60 views
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It is a great honor to be selected as the sacred rice paddy for an emperor's accession to the throne. The Yuki Saiden paddy for the current Emperor Akihito was in Akita Pref.60 views
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Rice seedlings in hand.60 views
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The Yuki Saiden rice paddy is in a scenic, rural location, with Mt. Mikami in the background. You can understand why it was selected to be the Yuki Saiden in 1928.57 views
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Young children also joined in the singing.57 views
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On the ridges were women dancers.55 views
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In the background is cloud-capped Mt. Mikami.53 views
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When the taiko drumming and folk singing started, they started planting the rice seedlings. On the ridge, there were dancers.52 views
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52 views
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A local troupe of Taiko drummers called "Mukade Taiko." Mukade means centipede. Mt. Mikami is famous for a folk tale about a giant centipede which occupied the mountain. It was later killed by a brave warrior from Otsu.51 views
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They also had a short break.51 views
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