There are many festivals in Japan. In this series of topics, we will select 3 of the most representative events by type and introduce them to readers. This article will introduce the visiting gods who come down to earth in strange costumes to pray for people and bring happiness.

The gods visit on important festivals

The Japanese have always believed that gods live in various places such as homes, shrines, and nature to protect all living things. Some gods visit at the turn of the seasons. For example, during the first month of the year, people put up kadomatsu to summon gods from another world. The one thing these gods have in common is that people cannot see their true appearance.

However, there are also a number of gods who take possession of human bodies when they descend to earth. These gods are called “visiting gods” and they appear on important holidays to bless people before leaving. This article introduces this traditional activity in three regions, which are well known for the unique masks and costumes worn by the visiting gods.

Oga Namahage Festival, Akita Prefecture

On New Year’s Eve in the snowy Oga Peninsula of Akita Prefecture, the sinister-looking demons called Namahage appear, entering homes with their shoes on, stamping their feet on the floor, waving kitchen knives and shouting, “Are there any crybabies?” They chase and pick up crying children who run around.

“It was scary. There was a sound of ‘Ahhh’ coming from a distance, and the screams were getting closer and closer to my house. When the namahagami entered the house, I was already in the abyss of fear.” A local described his experience in elementary school. “Are you attending cram school well?” “Did you apologize to your mother after breaking the plate?” At that time, he was shocked and speechless when the namahagami saw through his guilt. After entering junior high school, he finally found out that the namahagami was actually the big brother next door, and his parents had already told the big brother about their daily lives. After entering high school, it was his turn to play the namahagami and scare the children.

The kitchen knife held by the namasha is not a weapon, but a tool to remove the erythema of fire. In the local dialect, erythema of fire is called “Namomi”. If you stay in the hearth or kotatsu for a long time to keep warm, Namomi will appear on your hands and feet, so Namomi is considered a symbol of laziness.

The word Namahage comes from “Namomihagi” (removing Namomi), a deity that punishes laziness. The head of a household who welcomes a Namahage will entertain him and defend his children by saying, “Our children study hard and are not crybabies.” After visiting every household, the Namahage will quietly disappear at the first crow of the rooster on New Year’s Day.

Namahage’s visit has always been a popular year-end event, but now it is facing the danger of extinction. Many families now refuse Namahage’s visit for various reasons, such as not having a tatami living room for Namahage to enter, wearing shoes will make the house dirty, it is pitiful for children to be frightened, and they don’t want to interrupt the Red and White Song Festival. In desperation, Namahage can only roar at the entrance, or sing with children after gently scolding them to make them happy, and they have become more and more cautious. It is a pity that only a few households out of 100 still follow this ancient tradition.

Okumikawa Flower Festival, Aichi Prefecture

In the remote mountain villages at the junction of Aichi, Nagano and Shizuoka prefectures, folk performing arts brought by believers of Shugendo (a Japanese religion that combines mountain worship with Buddhism) before the modern era have been preserved in their ancient form. The “Hana Matsuri” held in 14 areas collectively called “Oku-Mikawa” in eastern Aichi Prefecture is one of them.

The flower festival held here is not a Buddhist event to celebrate the birth of Sakyamuni, but a unique local Kagura dance performance. The flower festival used to be a winter solstice event held in November of the lunar calendar, but now it is held in various areas of Oku-Mikawa from November to January of the following year. During the winter solstice when the day is the shortest, people’s energy will be weakened, so it is necessary to inject the spirit of God.

During the flower festival, people set up stoves and boil water in the doma (a room without a floor), and dance to the gods all night long to the accompaniment of flutes and drums.

At around 4 a.m., the music suddenly slowed down and a mysterious atmosphere spread. At this time, Sakaki Oni, wearing bright red clothes and holding a large axe, appeared majestically, accompanied by little ghosts. It is said that Sakaki Oni is the incarnation of the mountain god and is worshipped by the residents of the area and is revered as “Oni-sama”.

Sakaki slowly stamps his feet on the ground in front of the stove to drive away the evil spirits underground, and then swings his axe to create a commotion. After losing a question-and-answer contest with the “Hanadayu” who hosts the event, he becomes a good spirit. Then, Sakaki visits every household, drives away the evil spirits for the sick, brings health and peace to people, and finally returns to the mountains in winter.

Okinawa Prefecture, Sona Festival

Iriomote Island, a subtropical island in the southern waters of Japan, begins the rice planting season in February, making it the first place in Japan to start planting rice. Around October of the lunar calendar, the harvest season ends and Iriomote Island enters the “rice farmers’ festival”. During this important festival, the residents of the village of Zuna in the northwest of Iriomote Island hold a “festival” to thank the harvest of the year and pray for a good harvest in the next year. This activity has been going on for more than 500 years.

On the second day of the festival, a deity named Miriku visits from across the ocean and grants happiness to the people. It is said that this visiting deity is the embodiment of two beliefs: the worship of Maitreya in Buddhism and the local Okinawans’ longing for Niraikanai, the paradise where the sea god lives.

Miriku descends on the island in the form of a resident who has participated in the ceremony. He is dressed in yellow, smiling, and walks to the beach accompanied by the black-clad goddess “Hudachimi” and the bridal procession “Anga”, followed by a flute, drum and shamisen accompaniment.

After arriving at the beach, Miriku raised her command fan and walked to the stands to the rhythm of the soothing and melodious folk songs of the archipelago. After the residents presented dances and stick fighting performances, Miriku returned the favor with a blessing dance to express her blessings to everyone, and the surroundings were filled with a sacred and solemn atmosphere.

Two small boats race against each other on the sea. People believe that these boats bring good luck in the new year. The girls stand on the beach at the finish line and wave to the boats. Miriku enjoys the performance until sunset, and then goes through a ceremony to transform back into the original residents.

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