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。

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。

(A fisherman's) "Otoshidama" dances through the air. Tossing oranges for a large catch/Zushi

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301020004/

January 3, 2013

Families catch oranges being thrown in the air=Kotsubō Fishing Port

On the morning of January 2nd, the annual Orange Throwing Festival took place. The New Year’s ritual is held in prayer of a year of bountiful fishing and safety at sea. Taking place at Kotsubō Fishing Port of Kotsubō, Zushi city, large groups of families scrambled to catch (their version) of the "Otoshidama" being flung through the air.

Stopping by with a truck of full of oranges, the Fishing Industry Union of Kotsubō, sponsors of the event, began tossing them to the crowd. As the fishing union completed the orange throwing at the shore’s edge, fishing boats began sailing though the harbor with their tairyo-bata raised. Making their way through the mist and an occasional strong wind, one boat after another began to throw oranges and candies to a packed crowd, who could be heard calling out "Throw it over here, Please throw them further!"

Bringing cardboard boxes and plastic bags, even children tried with all their might to catch the oranges and candy coming from the boats.

Original text:

空中舞う“お年玉”、豊漁願い「みかん投げ」／逗子

2013年1月3日

投げられるミカンを受け止める家族連れら＝小坪漁港

一年の豊漁と安全を祈願する正月恒例の伝統行事「みかん投げ」が２日朝、逗子市小坪の小坪漁港で行われ、大勢の家族連れが「われ先に」と空中を舞う“お年玉”を受け止めていた。

みかん投げはこの日、主催する小坪漁業協同組合前に止められたトラックから始まった。

同漁協前のみかん投げが終了すると、同漁港の波打ち際に陸揚げされ、大漁旗が掲げられた漁船へと移動。強風が時折、波しぶきを運ぶ中、次々に各漁船からミカンやお菓子が投げられると「こっちにも投げてー」「後ろもお願いします」と詰めかけた人々の歓声が響いた。

子どもたちも段ボール箱やポリ袋などを持参し、漁船から降ってくるミカンやお菓子を一生懸命に受け止めていた。

As this winter enters it's coldest point, the lake of Sankei Park freezes/Yokohama

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1212250018/

December 25, 2012

Some waterfowl swimming on the portion of the lake that's begun to thaw=Sankei Park, Naka ward, Yokohama City (Photo taken at 9:20 AM)

Evan a lake has frozen from the cold.

On the 25th, Yokohama reached it's coldest point of the year at a record low 0.4 degrees Celsius (32.72 Fahrenheit), according to the Yokohama Meteorological Observatory. At 8AM, morning commuters could be seen tensing their shoulders as they were met with a severely cold temperature of 0.9 Celsius (33.62 Fahrenheit).

"Until the 27th, the severe cold will continue with a temperature lower than the yearly average," said the observatory.

In Sankei Park of Yokohama City's Naka ward, the cold weather has caused the majority of the lake's surface to freeze. "It's rare for the entire surface of the lake to freeze in December," said the park.  In the morning, the ice was sparkling, with waterfowl seen swimming on the portion of the surface that began to melt.


Original text:
三溪園で池凍る、この冬一番の冷え込み／横浜
2012年12月25日

解け始めたわずかな水面で水鳥が泳ぐ姿＝横浜市中区の三渓園（午前９時２０分撮影）

寒さで池も凍る－。

２５日、横浜の最低気温は０．４度（横浜地方気象台調べ）まで下がり、この冬一番の冷え込みとなった。午前８時でも０．９度と厳しい寒さの朝となり、通勤する人たちも肩をすぼめて歩く姿が目立った。

「２７日までは平年よりも気温が低く、厳しい寒さが続きます」と同気象台。

この寒さで横浜市中区の三渓園では、大池のほぼ全面が凍った。「１２月に池の全面が凍るのは珍しい」と同園。朝日で氷がきらきらと輝き、解け始めたわずかな水面で水鳥が泳ぐ姿が見られた。