Onbe Burning at the beach of Yokosuka- A traditional event to pray for health and safety

Translated from the original article at: http://yokosuka.keizai.biz/headline/708/


January 07, 2012

Caption: Onbe Burnings, to be conducted on each part of East Yokosuka beach in the early morning.

To pray for the safety of one's family and self in the new year, the traditional Onbe burning event will be conducted on January 8th, taking place on Kuri Beach and Nobi shore of the East Yokosuka coastal area.

Bamboo is bundled into an 8 meter high tower, and decorated for the year with pine branches and Shimenawa. The first calligraphy of the year is written upon an object washed ashore, which is burned in the fire festival. A tower of bamboo is then lit on fire. As the flames continue growing, the sound of the bamboo crackling and bursting also strengthens. At the beach of the early morning, the flaming tower rises.

"Sending back the Gods of the New Year" is considered the meaning of the festival. The Onbe burning is also called different names depending on the region (Dondo burning and Sagichou). The "Cooking upwards" fire has mochi (cakes of pulvarized rice) being cooked and eaten. Legend tells that the festival will prevent one from catching a cold for one year's time, and the burning of the first year's calligraphy will improve one's own calligraphy skills.

In addition to Nobi shore, the festivals will take place in Shimo, East Nobi and Nakamura. Each year on these days, at around 6 at the morning, large groups of people gather and arrange for food to be catered. The Kuri beach fire will take place at about 10:00AM from Nagase. Two spots at the front of Perry Park will conduct Onbe burnings.

The events at Kumano temple of Nagasawa Beach and Nagaoka City for the 15th are still being scheduled. Check the website to confirm details.


Original text:
 横須賀の海辺で「おんべ焼き」－無病息災願う伝統行事
2012年01月07日

 横須賀の東海岸各地で、早朝に行われる「おんべ焼き」

新しい年の家内安全と無病息災を祈る伝統行事「おんべ焼き」が1月8日、横須賀東海岸の久里浜・野比海岸などで行われる。

竹を組んだ高さ約8メートルのやぐらに、その年に飾った門松やしめ縄、書き初めで書いた物などを持ち寄って焼く火祭り。竹のやぐらに「火入れ」されると竹のはぜる音とともに勢いよく燃え上がり、早朝の海辺に火柱が立ち昇る。

「年神様を送り返す」意味があるとされ、地域によっては「どんど焼き」「左義長（さぎちょう）」ともいわれる。「おたき上げ」の火で餅を焼いて食べると、一年間風邪をひかないとの言い伝えもあり、書初めを燃やすと書道が上達するとも伝えられる。

 野比海岸では志も・野比東・中村の3カ所で行われ、毎年日の出前の6時頃から大勢の人が集まる。久里浜海岸では10時頃から長瀬、ペリー公園前の2カ所で行われる。

15日には長沢海岸の熊野神社、長岡でも「おんべ焼き」が行われる予定。詳細はサイトで確認できる。