Mountain Gods and tengu hand out good luck charms at a Kamakura ocean side kagura event/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301120002/

January 12, 2013

 

Praying for a year of bountiful fishing at an ocean side kagura event=Zaimokuza Beach, Kamakura

On the 11^th, at Kamakura City’s Zaimokuza Beach, an ocean side kagura was offered in prayer towards an excellent year of fishing.

In order to send out the positive energy of the sea and mountains, Shinto priests fired bows and arrows in four directions from an extended bai sema altar, cleansing evil from the area. Red masked tengu and a type of black masked Mountain God known at the Modoki danced around the area, while giving out oranges wrapped with good luck charms to spectators.

During the mid-Edo period, fishermen suffering from poor catches performed a kagura for the Sea Gods. Remnants of that tradition continue today as a New Year’s tradition, which is also performed to protect the local fishermen. The ceremony takes place near Gosho Temple. (Japanese site)

After the kagura, New Year's decorations were thrown onto a sagicho and burned, concluding the event.

Original text:

てんぐと山の神が縁起物まく、鎌倉で潮神楽／神奈川

2013年1月12日

一年の豊漁を祈願して行われた「潮神楽」＝鎌倉・材木座海岸

鎌倉市の材木座海岸で１１日、新年の豊漁を願う「潮神楽」が奉納された。

結界を張った祭壇に山海の幸が供えられ、神職が四方に邪気をはらう弓矢を放った。赤い面のてんぐ役と黒い面の山の神「毛止幾（もどき）」役が周囲を舞いながら、観衆に縁起物のミカンをまいた。

江戸時代中期、不漁にあえいだ漁師が海神に神楽をささげた伝承が残る。近くの五所神社が、新年の伝統行事として続けている。地元の漁師も見守った。

左義長で役目を終えた正月飾りを燃やし、締めくくられた。