matsuri | KAZU1000の社寺仏閣巡り / KAZU1000's exploring temples and shrines

Festivals of the Four Seasons in Japan

Festivals (Matsuri) are offered in thanks to the deities for their bounty. An incredible number of festivals are conducted by each Shinto shrine throughout the year.

【恩智神社夏祭り「宮出し」平成30年8月1日　Onji Shrine Summer Festival (August 1st, 2018) in Yao city of Osaka, Japan

Large festivals, in particular, are held at the turning points between seasons. All of the seasonal changes are related to rice farming, since rice cultivation is one of the most important traditional livelihoods for the Japanese.

【大阪天神祭 2017年7月24日】 Osaka Tenjin Matsuri Festival on July 24th 2017

In the spring festival, people pray for rich and bountiful harvest. In the autumn, villagers thank the deity for providing the season’s crops. In the hot humid season of summer festivals, community prayers go towards driving away disasters and misfortune. At the winter festivals, they pray for the revival of life and rich harvest for the coming spring.

There are significant offerings for the deity at these festivals such as food offerings and traditional court music and dance. People offer premium rice, sake, water, salt, seasonal vegetables, seasonal fruits, meats and fish for the deity. After the offering, people share these foods in order to gain spiritual strength from the deity.

What do the Japanese specifically pray for at these rituals? It is to wish for a simple and peaceful life for all people.

Household Festivals and Rituals
Shinto festivals are not only limited to shrines but are also conducted by families. People set up altars in the center of their homes. This is the spiritual residence of their ancestors, to which they give thanks for daily life and pray for peace.

Respecting deities and cherishing ancestors have been important aspects of faith for the Japanese. These are household beliefs inherited from ancient times and practiced up until the present day.

Here are some typical examples of Japanese household festivals and rituals.

January 1st
New Year’s Day is a day to welcome deities at home with offerings and entertain them with special delicacies. All members of the family gather, and celebrate like Christmas Day in western countries. It is believed that on New Year’s Day the spirit of the deities fills the household.

February 3rd
Setsubun is a bean throwing festival held to drive off evil spirits. Families shout “oni wa soto” (get out demons) and “fuku wa uchi” (happiness come in) when they throw the beans. The next day of Setsubun is Risshun, which means the first day of spring, and is thought to be the beginning of the year according to the lunar calendar.

【許麻神社（こまじんじゃ）】⛩️「鬼追式」👹２０１８年2月3日 Koma-jinja Onioi Ceremony (3/2/2018)👹

March 3rd
Hinamatsuri, the Japanese Doll Festival, originated from ancient times and is considered to be a festival for young girls to ward off evils. Families decorate platforms with a red carpet to display ”Hina Dolls”, a group of ornamental dolls clad in traditional court dress from the Heian period. Peach flowers and rice cakes also accompany this display.

May 5th
The Tango Festival takes place on Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi) and is a festival for young boys. Families with boys decorate homes by raising huge windsocks in the shapes of carp, miniature samurai armors and warrior dolls, in prayer for their children’s healthy growth.

June 30th
Nagoshi-no-Oharae, the Major Purification Ritual of the summer, is held at the mid-point of the year. The Japanese conduct purification ceremonies to rid themselves of sin and impurity.

August 13-16th
Obon, the Festival for the Ancestors is one of the two most vitally important rituals of the Japanese year, together with the New Year celebrations. Families welcome the ancestral spirits, entertain and delight them, and bid them farewell until the following year. Depending on the region in Japan, it is held either from July 13 to 16 or from August 13 to 16.

November 15th
Shichi-Go-San, Seven-Five-Three Celebration, is an event for children. Girls at their third and seventh year and boys at their fifth year are dressed in kimonos and visit shrines to receive divine blessing and pray for healthy growth.

December 31st
O’harae, the Grand Purification ritual, is held on the final day of the year. People purify themselves for the removal of all sin, impurity and misfortune so that they can have a fresh start to the New Year.

A variety of seasonal festivals and rituals are also held in many different areas of Japan, symbolizing the Japanese mindset as well as the wisdom of their ancestors.

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In summer, one of the most attractive things about Japanese summer is traditional summer festivals called “Matsuri” held across the country during the season. The festivals in Japan are derived from thanks to God, nature which gave a crop,our ancestors.

【恩智神社夏祭り「宮出し」平成30年8月1日　Onji Shrine Summer Festival (August 1st, 2018) in Yao city of Osaka, Japan

【矢作神社夏祭り】大阪府八尾市　平成30年7月31日 Yahagi-jinja (shrine) summer festival dated 31/7/2018

The Tenjin Festival (天神祭, Tenjin Matsuri)

One of famous summer festival in Osaka, Japan is “Tenjin Festival”.

The Tenjin Festival (天神祭, Tenjin Matsuri) of Osaka is ranked as one of Japan’s top three festivals, along with the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto and the Kanda Matsuri of Tokyo. The festival started in the 10th century and today takes place on July 24 and 25 every year. The main celebrations are held on the festival’s second day, July 25, including a land procession and a river procession with fireworks.

【大阪天神祭 2018年7月25日】 Osaka Tenjin Festival on July 25th 2018 大阪市北区

Tenjin Matsuri is the festival of the Tenmangu Shrine and honors its principle deity Sugawara Michizane, the deity of scholarship. The festival begins by ceremonially inviting the deity out of the shrine and parading him through the city, carrying out various exuberant festivities to entertain him, before taking him back to the shrine. For the people, the lively festivities manifest in a wonderful occasion to enjoy the hot summer day, filled with traditional costumes, spectacular processions and a celebratory atmosphere.

【大阪天満宮】（おおさかてんまんぐう）大阪市北区

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The night stall, which we call “Yomise” is also attractive things in Japan.

YOMISE(よみせ) 夜店 = 夜（YO) +　店（MISE)　

夜 means night. 店’ means store.

Many Yomises open at shries during summer festivals.
They sell rare dishes,toys and play game that built a premium .

フランクフルト Furankfuruto (sausage)

Normally 300 – 500yen / piece.
You can add some ketchup and mustard if you like it.

たこ焼き takoyaki

Takoyaki originated in Osaka in the 1930’s and today is still famous for being Osaka’s cuisine. The “tako” (たこ) in takoyaki meaning octopus and yaki (焼き) meaning baked. It’s a ball shaped snack made of wheat based batter, and can contain various different fillings and toppings.　The takoyaki is then topped with takoyaki sauce (which is very similar to Worcester sauce), Japanese mayonnaise, dried laver and bonito flakes.

お好み焼き　Okonomiyaki ( pan-fried dish that consists of batter and cabbage.)

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a popular pan-fried dish that consists of batter and cabbage. Selected toppings and ingredients are added which can vary greatly (anything from meat and seafood to wasabi and cheese). This variability is reflected in the dish’s name; “okonomi” literally means “to one’s liking”. There are two main variations of okonomiyaki: Kansai-style (also called Osaka-style) and Hiroshima-style. Their cooking style is differnt ech other. The cooking steps for the Kansai-style of okonomiyaki are most commonly found at Yomises in Osaka,Japan.

As for the cooking step in Hiroshima-style, the ingredients are not mixed together. Instead, the batter is cooked like a thin crepe and the ingredients are cooked separately. When everything is done, the ingredients are placed on the crepe, the toppings are added, and the okonomiyaki is served on top of yakisoba noodles, a distinctive ingredient of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.

やきそば　yakisoba noodles

This noodles started to appear in the 1930’s as So-su (= Sauce) Yakisoba (ソース焼きそば), and it was a poplar children’s snack at the mom-and-pop candy stores (dagashi-ya 駄菓子屋 in Japanese) in late 50’s.Since then Yakisoba has been cooked and enjoyed at home and also became an icon for Japanese street food. Yakisoba food stalls are popular in summer festivals.

射的（しゃてき；syateki）　　Target shooting

This game is called ‘Syateki’. 射的　射(sya) = shoot 的(teki) = target
You can play this game with toy rifle. The target are premiums.　

チョコばなな Choco banana

ばなな(ba na na) = banana　チョコ(cho ko) = chocolate

Choco banana is frozen banana coated in chocolate and sprinkled with sweet confectionery such as multi-colored sprinkles or nuts. Although it is called chocolate banana, it can be dipped also in other kinds of melted chocolate such as white chocolate, strawberry chocolate and all sorts of chocolate variants. With strawberry and melon-infused chocolate coatings, colorful crunchy sprinkles and containing a whole banana, the choco banana is a favorite among children and youngsters.

ラッキーボール　Lucky ball

The ball is hit by stick with strong spring. You get a premium when balls fit in into the hole.

いかやき (Ikayaki) cuttlefish barbecue

いか＝cuttlefish やき＝grilled

Ikayaki is a popular fast food in Japan. In much of Japan, the term refers to simple grilled squid topped with soy sauce and enjoyed with a cold beer at local summer festival commonly.