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。

(Video) Praying for safety while swinging an adze, the Chouna Hajime ceremony of Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū shrine/ Kamakura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301050005/

January 5, 2013

The Chouna Hajime Ceremony, an ancient carpentry ritual=Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū shrine

The year's ceremony for the safety of carpenters, the Chouna Hajime (Beginning with the adze) took place on the 4th, at Yuki No Shita, Kamakura City's Tsurugaoka-Hachimangū Shrine.

The Chouna Hajime traces back to 1181. When Minamoto No Yorimoto was nearly finished with the construction of the Hachiman Guu, there was an accident while transporting material from Yuigahama, spurning the ceremony. Now, it's a tradition within the city in beginning the year's carpentry work.

Area residents involved in construction clothed themselves in traditional Shinto ceremony outfits. After transporting a sacred tree into the kagura hall, they stood in front of it, waving an adze and handsaw. The ancient ritual in carpentry etiquette has once again been performed.

Original text:
【動画】手斧振るい安全祈願、鶴岡八幡宮で手斧始式／鎌倉
2013年1月5日

古式の大工作法を再現した手斧始式＝鶴岡八幡宮

ことし１年の工事の安全を祈願する手斧始（ちょうなはじめ）式が４日、鎌倉市雪ノ下の鶴岡八幡宮で行われた。

１１８１年に源頼朝が八幡宮造営に際して、木材を由比ケ浜から運んだ故事にちなみ、現在では市内の工事の事始め式として伝えられている。

神事では伝統的な装束に身を包んだ地元の建設関係者らが、舞殿に運び込まれた御神木の前で手斧やのこぎりを振るい、古式の大工作法を再現した。