The Fire Protection Festival at Manpuku Temple. Praying for health and well-being while crossing a fire barefoot/Odawara

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301280033/

January 29, 2013

A Buddhist priest crosses barefoot over the blazing flames=Manpuku Temple, Nakazato, Odawara City

On the 28th, Buddhist priests engaged in the practice of walking barefoot over a fire during the Fire Protection Festival of Manpuku Temple, Nakazato, Odawara City.

The event began 300 to 400+ years prior. Attempting to take on the same form as Acala "The Immoveable One," the ritual is meant to extinguish such things as misfortune and the state of kleshas.

Dressed as yamabushi, 20 Buddhist priests gathered from all over the Kanto region. They assembled together at the call of a horagai. After conversing with each other, they fired arrows in each direction in a type of Buddhist arrow ceremony. Afterwards, a bonfire made up of gomafuda, brushwood and firewood was started.

While chanting a sutra, a barefoot priest crossed the fire, waving a katana overhead. Shrine visitors continued walking the flames as well, praying for health and peace of mind.

Original text:

満福寺で「火伏まつり」、無病息災を祈り素足で「火渡り」／小田原

2013年1月29日

燃え盛る炎の上を素足で渡る修験者＝小田原市中里の満福寺

修験者らが素足で「火渡り」の修行をする「火伏まつり」が２８日、小田原市中里の満福寺で行われた。

３００～４００年以上前から伝わる行事。不動明王と同じ姿になることで、煩悩や災難などを焼き尽くす意味があるとされる

関東一円から集まった山伏姿の修験者約２０人が、法螺貝（ほらがい）を吹きながら集結。問答や各方角に矢を放つ宝弓の儀式などの後、護摩札や柴（しば）が薪（まき）で焚（た）き上げられた。

読経の中、素足の修験者が刀を振りかざして火を渡ると、参拝者も続いて歩き、無病息災などを祈っていた。

A pearl sinks into a volcano. At Araihama Beach, Mount Fuji and the full moon perform together/Miura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301270009/

January 28, 2013

The dreamy scenery of the "Mount Fuji Pearl"=6:00AM, January 27, Araihama Beach, Misakimachi Koajiro, Miura City

The full moon slowly descended behind the summit of Mount Fuji, appearing as if it was being sucked inside. The surreal "Mount Fuji Pearl" could be seen at about 6:00AM, January 27th at Araihama Beach of Misakimachi Koajiro, Miura City.

Because the sky quickly darkened once the moon passed over the rising sun, this created an ideal condition for photography. Along Arai beach, 10 amateur photographers had their tripods set up, their shutters busily snapping pictures. On that day, Miura's Aburatsubo Bay was also an ideal spot to enjoy the "Fuji Pearl." Cameramen were seen lined up around the neighborhood, gazing towards Mount Fuji.


Original text:
火口に沈む真珠の玉、荒井浜で富士と満月が共演／三浦
2013年1月28日

幻想的な光景「パール富士」＝２７日午前６時ごろ、三浦市三崎町小網代の荒井浜

富士山頂に吸い込まれるように、満月がゆっくりと沈む－。幻想的な光景「パール富士」が２７日午前６時ごろ、三浦市三崎町小網代の荒井浜で見ることができた。

月の入りが日の出よりかなり早く暗いため、撮影条件は良くなかったが、浜には約１０人のアマチュアカメラマンが三脚を立て、盛んにシャッターを切っていた。この日は同市の油壺湾周辺が「パール富士」観賞の適地だったため、富士山を望める付近のスポットにもカメラマンが並ぶ姿が見られた。

(Movie) Egata Shrine’s Brush Memorial Service; students preparing for exams pray for their success/Kamakura

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301250014/

January 25, 2013

The ritual of visitors offering their old, used brushes=Egaraten Shrine

Celebrating the God of Scholarship, Sugawarano Michizane, a brush memorial service was held on the 25^th, at the Nikai Hall of Kamakura City's Egaraten Shrine. A New Year's tradition, where old, used brushes and pencils are placed into a bonfire.

(Movies)

Calligraphers and students preparing for their exams brought a total of 3000 brushes and pencils, adding them to the flaming hibachi in front of the main worship hall.

Within the temple grounds, emas written with prayers for the exams are set up. A bell could be heard ringing, as visitors clasped their hands and prayed at a sacred fire for progress in calligraphy and for passing exams.

Original text:

【動画】荏柄天神社で筆供養、受験生ら学業成就願う／鎌倉

2013年1月25日

使い古した筆を供養する参拝者＝荏柄天神社

学問の神様・菅原道真を祭る鎌倉市二階堂の荏柄天神社は２５日、新春伝統の「筆供養」で、使い古された筆や鉛筆を焚（た）き上げた。

【動画】

書家や受験生らが持ち寄った約３千本が、拝殿前の火鉢にくべられた。

合格祈願の絵馬が鈴なりとなった境内で、浄火に書道の上達や学業成就を願い、参拝客が手を合わせた。

(Video) Young adults celebrate in the New Year's sea. A mid-winter mikoshi training event at Katase Beach/Fujisawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1301200011/

January 20, 2013

Together, yelling out with enthusiasm, young adults who recently came of age enter the New Year's ocean, shouldering a mikoshi=Eastern Katase Beach, Fujisawa City

Young adults celebrated and prayed for a year of health and well being at a mid-winter mikoshi training event. It was held on the 20th on East Katase Beach in Fujisawa City.

(Videos)

After a cleansing was performed on shore, new young adults wearing red and white tasukis began guiding 4 mikoshi. Yelling out together, they entered the New Year's ocean.

Put together by the Fujisawa*Kamakura Mikoshi Federation, this year was the 32nd occasion of the event.

Original text:
【動画】新春の海で新成人祝う、片瀬海岸で「寒中神輿練成大会」／藤沢
2013年1月20日

威勢のいい掛け声とともに、新春の海に入る担ぎ手＝藤沢市、片瀬海岸東浜

新成人のお祝いと一年の無病息災を祈る「寒中神輿練成大会」が２０日、藤沢市の片瀬海岸東浜で行われた。

【動画】

浜でお祓いを済ませ紅白のタスキをかけた新成人は、４基の御輿（みこし）を先導。威勢のいい掛け声とともに、新春の海に入っていった。

藤沢・鎌倉神輿連合会の主催で今年で３２回目。

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。