NIPPON Kichi - 日本吉

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2007/8/21


中畑町八幡社 おまんと祭 Nakabata-chou-hachiman-sha Omanto-matsuri Omanto Festival at Hachiman Shrine in Nakahata Town

Jp En

Omanto Festival, or popularly called “Zuriuma,” dedicated to Hachiman Shrine in Nakahata Town in Nishio City, Aich Prefecture, on the 3rd Sunday in October every year is a horse festival, which used to be a coming-of-age ceremony in the old days.

In this festival, valiant young men wearing happi jackets and jikatabi shoes grab horses by the necks or the mane not to be shaken off and run with them in the riding ground with a circumference of 120 m. Spectators outside the fence shout applause at those courageous men running at full speed with galloping horses. They also whip a horse from outside the fence because it is believed to bring good luck.
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2007/6/7


丸髷 Marumage Maru-mage

Jp En

Maru-mage is a round chignon or knot worn by women in the Edo period (1603-1868). It was derived from the katsuyama style in the beginning of the Edo period. In the middle of the Edo period, it was mainly worn by prostitutes called “yujo,” and in the Meiji period (1868-1912), it became the typical hairstyle of married women. In the Meiji period, some variations such as Reebok style or Omits style derived from this hairstyle.

This hairstyle is characterized by a large thick chignon. Younger women did up their hair in larger chignon, while middle-aged women in smaller. To keep the shape of a chignon, hair is wound round a paper frame called a mage-gate.

In the Edo period, it was a custom for engaged or married women to dye their teeth black, shaved eyebrows and did up their hair in Maru-mage. As the hairstyle changed before and after marriage, in theatrical plays performed today, two kinds of hair wigs are usually prepared to express the reality.
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2007/5/22


武田八幡神社 Takeda -Hachiman-jinja Takeda Hachiman Shrine

Jp En

Takeda Hachiman Shrine is located in Kamiyama-machi, Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture. It was founded in 822, when the deity of Usa Hachiman was transferred to this place under the order of Emperor Saga.

It is said that the shrine is the birthplace of the Takeda clan, because Genpuku (a traditional Japanese coming-of-age ceremony) of Minamoto no Nobuyoshi took place at this shrine and he renamed himself Takeda Nobuyoshi and became the founder of the clan. Four deities including Takeda Take no Okami and Honda Wake no Mikoto are enshrined.

From the Torii gate, the front approach runs straight to Honden (the main hall) at the foot of the mountain. Honden (the main hall), which was reconstructed in 1541 by Takeda Shingen, is a 3-bay building in Nagare-zukuri style with a cypress bark roof. Elaborate decorative designs are given to every part of the building. It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property.
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2007/2/12


八日市大凧まつり Youkaichi-oodako-matsuri Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival

Jp En

Many kite-flying activities take place during the Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival. The Yokaichi giant kite is designated as an intangible folk cultural asset.

Yokaichi giant kite-flying started 300 years ago in the mid-Edo period. Kites were flown to celebrate the birth of a boy. For this reason, kite-flying is similar to the display of koinobori on Boy's Day, an important event in Japan. Nowadays, over 100 kites are flown, and they are even flown to celebrate a young person's coming of age.

Yokaichi giant kites are designed with 'hanjimon otako', which features pictures of fishes and birds in the upper section with words written in red to illustrate meanings. This kite, in a sense, is rare because it has cut-out sections that help to diminish resistance from wind. Flying these giant kites involves balancing the strength of the strings with the size of the kite.

The Yokaichi Giant Kite Festival is held annually on the 4th Sunday of May in Aichi-gawa.
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