Figures clad in furisode carefully descend down the steps...Coming of Age Day’s first snowfall in 15 years/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301140033/

January 14, 2013

The piling snow appearing slippery, young women wearing furisode carefully walk down the steps.=Taken on 12:45PM, January 14 at Yokohama Arena, Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City.

On the 14th, Coming of Age Day, Kanagawa became engulfed in a rough storm, with Yokohama seeing it's first snowfall of the year. According to the Yokohama Meteorological Observatory, the snowfall arrived 7 days later than average, while last year arriving 6 days early. The snowfall measured at a high of 13 centimeters, the first snowfall on Coming of Age Day since 1998, 15 years prior. Subway operators exchanged successive glances at each other, as roads and traffic continued to face delays and halts all day due to the chaotic weather.

(Videos)

The Coming of Age ceremony was located at Yokohama Arena, Kohoku Ward, Yokohama City. The piling snow appearing to be slippery, young women wearing furisode were seeing carefully descending the steps so as not to slip.

Original text:
振り袖姿で階段慎重に…１５年ぶり雪の成人式／神奈川

2013年1月14日

積もった雪に滑らないように、振り袖姿で慎重に階段を下りる新成人ら＝１４日午後０時４５分、横浜市港北区の横浜アリーナ

「成人の日」の１４日、県内は大荒れとなり、横浜で初雪を観測した。横浜地方気象台によると、平年より７日遅く、昨年より６日早い。横浜の積雪は最大１３センチで、成人の日に雪となるのは１９９８年以来１５年ぶり。鉄道は運転見合わせが相次ぎ、道路も通行止めや渋滞が続くなど終日混乱した。

【動画】

成人式会場となった横浜市港北区の横浜アリーナでは、振り袖姿の新成人が、積もった雪に滑らないよう、慎重に階段を下りる姿が見られた。

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。

(Video) Praying for a bountiful year at the Grand Shimenawa Festival. A 6 meter "centipede" is created/Kamakura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301080008/

January 8, 2013

Praying for the year's harvest while standing under the new "centipede"=Hakusan Temple, Imaizumi, Kamakura City

On the 8th, at the Hakusan Temple of Imaizumi, Kamakura City, the Grand Shimenawa Festival was held, in prayer of safety and a rich harvest throughout the area.

(Videos)

Local residents of the area wrapped up straw, creating a 6 meter Shimenawa in the form of a centipede, said to be associated with Bishamonten (Vaiśravaṇa). It decorated the shrine ground’s entrance.

Until three years prior, a local rice paddy was producing the straw used for the Shimenawa. Because it's no longer there, it's said that this year, farmers of a glutinous rice field in Zama City took over the process of supplying the straw.

Original text:

【動画】大注連祭で豊年祈願、６メートルの「ムカデ」作る／鎌倉

2013年1月8日

新しい「ムカデ」の下で豊年を祈願＝鎌倉市今泉の白山神社

鎌倉市今泉の白山神社で８日、豊作と地域の安全を祈願する「大注連祭」が行われた。

【動画】

地域の住民が、わらを編んで、毘沙門天の使いといわれるムカデを模した約６メートルの大しめ縄を作り、境内の入り口に掲げた。

３年前までは地元の田んぼのわらを使っていたが、田んぼがなくなったため、ことしは座間市の農家からもち米のわらを譲り受けたという。