Sign of Spring, Grass Burning Ceremony

Every year , "Grass Burning Ceremony" in Mt. Wakakusa is held on the forth Saturday of January. This ceremony is the most spectacular and popular event in winter Nara. This year it was held on 26th January.

Since ancient times, fire has long been used for purification and cleansing both in Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan.

There are many spots to enjoy watching the event. I watched it at the foot of Mt. Wakakusa.

  300 firefighters are ready for "Grass Burning Ceremony" with their fire engines.

Before the ceremony, a dancing entertainment is  held on a temporarily built stage.

 "Passion"

Elegant and exotic with Chinese fragrance.

Sento-kun is a holy boy with deer antlers, who was chosen as a mascot for the 1300th anniversary of the transfer of the capital to Heijo-kyo Nara in 2010.

 Now he is a super star.!

The sacred fire is carried to the foot of Mt. Wakakusa.  They make a bonfire. 

The Buddhist monks of Todai-ji Temple and Kofuku-ji Temple, and Shinto priests of Kasuga Grand Shrine perform a small ritual.

A number of fireworks are launched. They are so big!! 

300 firefighters set the mountain on fire.

Huge walls of fire and smoke appear and overwhelm us. Walls are swelling and swirling,
 being buffeted by gusts of wind.  What a dynamic scenery it is!!

The area of 33 hectares is burnt down in 30 minutes.

"Grass Burning Ceremony" dates back to 1760. But its origin is not clear. One theory says the mountain was set fire to solve the boundary dispute between temples and a shrine near the mountain. Other theory says someone started to set fire to console the ghost's spirit which haunted around a small tomb on the top of the mountain. Also it is said that the mountain was burnt to drive away wild boars. 

People in Nara see every phase of seasons in every festival or ceremony. "Grass Burning Ceremony" has long been seen as  a harbinger of spring.  The subtle hint of spring exists even in the icy air. When spring comes here, fresh sprouts will spring up out of the ashes.  To burn the mountain is also for rejuvenation of the mountain.

My related blog,  "Fire for Purification".(Click here.)

On 28th January, two days after the ceremony, Nara Park was covered with snow.

 Mt. Wakakusa is over there.

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Nothing Special or Something Special

I have been amazed with the speed, I mean, everything comes and goes too fast. A few days ago, I still enjoyed the remains of beautiful autumn, but yesterday, Nara had the first snowfall of the season. And today we had the coldest day of this winter. 

Yesterday (December 9th) in Nara 

Nara had the first snow on 9th December.

Snow was melting and tiny water drops were dripping  under a dull sky.

When taking photos, I heard the sound of drums echoing. "Nara Marathon" began! This is an annual event.

About 10,000 people participated in the marathon. Many of them seemed not to mind a record, but just to enjoy running.

They were cheering up the participants with drum sounds.

A few days ago in Kyoto

Many of leaves were losing glowing autumn colors and turning muted earth colors. But they looked even more profound and tasteful.

Fallen leaves were dancing a farewell waltz in water.

Autumn was disappearing, leaving beautiful footprints.

Here I met a refined camerawoman.  We had a pleasant time to enjoy the last autumn and its reflections on a wooden floor. We took photos lying on our stomachs. Otherwise the reflections could not be captured. It must have be a funny scene if somebody had seen two women lying on the floor and taking photos.

Merry Christmas cappuccino to you
in my favorite cafe


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Blow away stagnation with bamboo branches!

  

Now who  is needed the most  all over the world? It must be him, Ebisu who is the deity of flourishing business.

 Smile , smile, smile, smiling Ebisu!

A beckoning cat is inviting a good luck!

The 10th of January is the festival of Ebisu, the deity of the prosperous business.  A number of  people rush to Ebisu shrine to get Ebisu's lucky bamboo branches which are believed to invite financial luck and drive away stagnation. All over Japan, there are a lot of Ebisul shrines.

Here is Imamiya Ebisu Shrine (今宮戎神社） in Osaka,

one of the biggest Ebisu shrines in Japan. 

People  throw some  money as offering.

  

 People are waiting in line to buy  auspicious ornaments to attach to the bamboo branches 

from 福むすめ or  Fuku-musume, meaning  lucky maidens.
Fuku-musume are temporary shrine maidens to bless visitors.. 

 As it is very honourable to be chosen as Fukumusume, every year there are a number of surging candidates.  And 40 among them are chosen besides 5 foreign students. They are the most important icons of the festival!

The auspicious ornaments are money pouches, oval gold coins, portable fans, sea breams, straw bags for rice and so on.

It is a fun to choose lucky ornaments with advices of Fuku-musume who attach them to the bamboo branches.

Let's rake up good luck with this rake!

Why are they dabbing a round place?? This is one of two  which symbolise the ears of Ebisu. According to one theory, Ebisu  is hard of hearing. People want to make sure to let Ebisu know their visiting to pray to him for prosperous business. Some of them even attach
 the name cards or stickers of their companies. I am sure Ebisu  grands their wishes very soon.

Let's go home with a great luck!

For your reference:

Bamboo branches are called 福笹, lucky bamboo made of branches of "Moso" bamboo but not of bush bamboo. Moso bamboo has enormous energy to grow. It is said that overnight it grows more than 90cm.

Since ancient days, bamboo has been mentioned in the literature, art, poems and used  for traditional handicrafts. People have even believed that divinity resides in bamboo trees because of their purity, constancy, patience, energy of life, fertility and more which they possess. "The story of Princess Kaguya" or "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter"  is said to have been created based on the mysterious power of the bamboo trees.