[Movie] At the Maru Yama Inari Shrine’s Hatsuuma Festival, shrine maidens dance in prayer of a rich harvest/Kamakura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1302090015/

February 9, 2013

Praying for harvest, Miko (shrine maidens) perform the "Yorozuyo No Mai" (Dance of Eternity)=Maru Yama Inari Shrine

On the 9th, at the Maru Yama Inari Shrine within Yuki No Shita, Kamakura City's Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū , the Hatsuuma Festival was held. (Hatsuuma is February’s first day of the horse, according to the Earthly Branches).

(Movies)

Before the start of the spring's farming operations, a Shinto ritual is held for the God of Food to pray for that year's harvest. A legend is told that in the year 711 (Year 4 of the Wadou Era), the Inari God appeared at Mitsugamine Cliff, located at the Fushimi Inari Head Shrine. Since then, the festival is held each year on the first Hatsuuma of February.

As the miko performed the Yorozuyo in offering, parishioners and visitors passed, one after another, to pray for success in their business.

Original text:

【動画】丸山稲荷社で初午祭、豊作祈願し巫女舞う／鎌倉

2013年2月9日

豊作を祈願し「萬代の舞」を奉納する巫女＝丸山稲荷社

鎌倉市雪ノ下の鶴岡八幡宮境内にある丸山稲荷（いなり）社で９日、初午（はつうま）祭が行われた。

【動画】

春の農作業が開始する前に、今年一年の豊作を食物の神に祈願する神事で、和銅４（７１１）年に稲荷の神が伏見稲荷の三ケ峰に現れたとの言い伝えから、毎年２月の初午の日に開催されている。

巫女（みこ）による「萬代（よろずよ）の舞」が奉納され、氏子や参拝者が次々に商売繁盛などを祈願していた。