Joy of Spring

This  may be the first rite of the year to pray for good harvest of rice, called  "Rice Plating Ritual". 

It' s the rite of Shinto which is indigenous religion based on nature worship.

This rite  is held all over Japan. Some are rustic and others are refined.  Here the rite I saw is the one

which evokes a sense of nostalgia. It was held on February 25th
 in Sugawara Tenmangu Shrine in Nara.
There are many stone bulls. They are the messengers of the deity.

There are many stages in rice cultivation. In olden days,  farmers performed religious rites almost in each stage.  Nowadays the  number of the rites has decreased  and human labour has been rapidly replaced with machines. But  the farmers' prayers for a bountiful rice harvest  never change. 

These are offerings to the deity.

This is one of four boundaries which are made of twisted rice straw ropes with white zigzag paper.
They are stretched from corner to corner to enclose the square area where the rite is held.

They drive away evil and  protect the sacred area  .

An elderly farmer prays to the deity for the good harvest and plants bundles of pine leaves

which represent rice seedlings.

Then many stages of rice cultivation are shown comically.

He is cultivating  soil with his cattle pulling ploughs. He trys to tame the cattle,
 but it becomes out of control many times. People laugh and enjoy it.

He is working the field.

                                                  He is fertilizing the field with  human waste.

 He uses even the last drop of organic fertilizer, never wastes anything.

He is seeding.

He is pulling weeds.

Bundles of pine leaves, representing seedlings,  are being  thrown to people.

The rite is over.  This is the moment of sincere prayer as well as joy of spring.

This shrine is dedicated to Michizane Sugawara, the deity of wisdom. 

As he loved Ume, Japanese apricot very much, beautifully blooming Ume are here and there.

Outside of the shrine, there is a stand selling Japanese sweets for the visitors.

                   

                                     
                                                 

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