Predicting a rich or poor harvest for the coming year: An excellent harvest is on the way, according to Shirahige Temple's Busha Festival/Odawara

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301070014/

January 7, 2013

Facing the target, an archer fires an arrow=Shirahige

Continuing over the last 800 years, the Busha Festival of Shirahige Temple in Obune, Odawara's City was held on the 7th. Dressed in kariginu, two archers aim at a target with handmade bows and arrows. The results of the shots are used to predict the year's harvest.

At the temple, people gather in reverence of historical figures such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hōjō Sōun. The annual Busha Festival has continued each year since Nakamura Kagehira of the Nakamura clan started it on the same day in 1190.

The target is 2 meters in diameter, drawn with the unusual shape of a spiral coming from the center. After receiving a cleansing ceremony from Chief Priest Akio, two archers coming from multiple generations of experience fashioned hand-made, bamboo bows and arrows. 7 times, they aimed and fired the arrows at the target.

This year there were 4 direct hits. Smiling, fellow Chief Preist Nakamura proclaimed "Because we've had the fortune of so many direct hits, I think this year is going to be wonderful."


Original text:
１年間の豊凶占う：「素晴らしい年」白髭神社で奉射祭／小田原
2013年1月7日

的に向けて弓を放つ射手＝白髭神社

８００年ほど前から続く白髭神社（小田原市小船）の奉射祭（ぶしゃさい）が７日、執り行われた。狩衣姿の射手２人が、手製の弓矢で的を狙った結果を通じ、今年の豊凶を占った。

同神社は、古くは源頼朝や北条早雲などの尊崇を集めてきたとされる。奉射祭は１１９０年のこの日に豪族の中村景平が行って以来、続いてきたとされる。

的は直径約２メートルで、中心から渦巻き状に線が描かれた珍しいもの。代々務めている射手２人が、中村瑛（あきお）宮司からおはらいを受けた後、竹で手作りした弓矢で計７回、的を狙って矢を放った。

今年は４発が命中。中村宮司は「多く当たったので中吉。素晴らしい年になると思う」と笑顔で話していた。