The Soma Nomaoi

The Soma Nomaoi(相馬野馬追) is a festival and shrine ritual held in the Soma area in Fukushima Prefecture from July 23rd to 25th.
Although the festival is not very well known in the country, it went on an expedition to foreign countries including the United States, the UK, Russia and Brazil.

It is said the festival originated from a military training from Taira no Masakado(平将門, ?-940). He used wild horses in place of enemies and trained soldiers for battle. Then he offered captured horses to a shrine.
It has been designated a significant intangible folk cultural asset of the country.

Three shrines and five villages in the Soma area take part in the festival. Samurai cavaliers dressed as if from a period of provincial wars head for a rendezvous point through a national road and rice fields.

The Soma area was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11th and includes the nuclear evacuation zone.  Many of horseback riders lost their family members, houses and horses. About 200 of 370 horses which had been kept for this festival in the area were left dead or missing by the tsunami.  Many people doubted whether the festival could be held and the organizers discussed carefully whether to hold it. However, local people have strong feelings for the festival.

Although about 500 riders with their horses participated in this festival each year, participants in this year's festival are only 80 of them.
The festival is being conducted at a reduced scale. The highlight of this festival, armor horse race(甲冑競馬, Kacchu-keiba) and competition for sacred flag(神旗争奪戦, Sinki-sodatsusen), are held on the second day of the festival, but they are cancelled this year.

Wild horse chasing(野馬懸, Nomagake) is a Shinto ritual that comes from offering captured wild horses. Usually the chasing is held at the Soma Kodaka Shrine(相馬小高神社) on the third day, but the shrine is located in the exclusion zone. So this event is held at Taka Shrine(多珂神社) on 25th.

On the second and third day, events will be held within a 30-kilometer radius of the nuclear plant. The organizers say it's unadvisable for visitors to go there.

I saw a dragonfly yesterday. The dragonfly was esteemed as an insect of victory by members of the samurai class because the insect goes only forward and never goes back. Dragonfly patterns are seen on outfit for battle such as armors, sword guards and battle surcoats. The patterns can still be seen on outfit for kendo(Japanese fencing).

the day of the ox

We suffered from the summer heat a few days ago.　It was very muggy while this season's sixth typhoon named Ma-on was moving slowly along Japan's Pacific Ocean coastline.
The temperature fell rapidly last night. We could sleep well after a long interval. It's very cool today.
Most schools has broken for the summer vacation.

Today is the day of the ox(丑の日) during the period called Doyo(土用). The last 18 days of each season are referred to as Doyo.
People eat grilled eel on the day of the ox in mid-summer to recover from fatigue. In Kanto Region, filleted eels are char-grilled after being steamed. In Kansai Region, filleted eels are only char-grilled. There is a style of eating eels called Hitsumabushi in Nagoya.

The price of the Japanese eel has been rising sharply. Their young larvae are caught and raised in eel farms. A poor catch of them has increased its price. Populations of the Japanese eel have declined drastically in recent years.

Little was known of the mode of life of the Japanese eel. Spawning grounds and eggs of the Japanese eel have been recently discovered around the Mariana Trench. In 2010, Fisheries Research Agency has succeeded in artificially hatching the eggs that artificially hatched eel laid.  It opened the way for fully cultured eel.

Basket clams(freshwater clam) are in season in summer and winter. They are called Doyo-shijimi(土用蜆) in summer. We often make basket cram miso soup.

A wind-bells bazaar is being held at Kawasaki Daishi(川崎大師), whose formal name is Heikenji Temple(平間寺), from July 17th to the 21st.




ceramic wind-bells

glass wind-bell

wind-bells of Nanbu ironware(南部鉄器, Nanbu-tekki) which is made in Morioka City in Iwate Prefecture.

summer festivals

Temperatures have been above 35 degrees in some areas in Kanto Region. We are struggling to balance saving on electricity with preventing the onset of heat exhaustion.




Kushida Shrine


Hakata Gion Yamakasa(博多祇園山笠）is the festival held by Kushida Shrine(櫛田神社) in Fukuoka City in the Fukuoka Prefecture from July 1st to 15th.

 Yamakasa at Kushida Shrine

photos by ふくおか検索隊

The climax comes on July 15, when nearly-naked men swiftly draw eight decorated floats. It's called Oiyama(追い山).
According to one popular theory, the festival started in 1241 when Buddhist monk Enni(円爾,1202-1280) who studied in China poured sanctified water around town while praying for an end to diseases.
His posthumous name was Shoichi Kokushi(聖一国師).

In 1687, an accident occurred in which one float left behind another one during break time. The two floats chased each other back and forth. That match race went down with people. So decorated floats came to rush through street.

photos by Fukuoka City











A festival called Tohoku Rokkon-sai(東北六魂祭) is being held in Sendai on July 16th and 17th. The festival is held to liven up Tohoku Region and encourage people to come and see six major festivals in Tohoku Region including the Aomori Nebuta Festival(青森ねぶた祭), the Akita Kanto Festival(秋田竿燈まつり), The Sendai Tanabata Festival(仙台七夕まつり), the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival(山形花笠まつり), the Morioka Sansa Odori Festival(盛岡さんさ踊り) and the Fukushima Waraji Matsuri Festival(福島わらじまつり).

You can see these festivals at once. Visitors poured in to enjoy the festival from all over the country, so the Aomori Nebuta Festival and the Akita Kanto Festival were cancelled for the safety of visitors today.

There are so many festivals in Tohoku Region and many of them are held in August. These six festivals will be held as usual this year.
(1) The Morioka Sansa Odori Festival in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture from August 1st to 4th
(2) The Aomori Nebuta Festival in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture from August 2nd to 7th
(3) The Akita Kanto Festival in Akita City, Akita Prefecture from August 3rd to 6th
(4) The Yamagata Hanagasa Festival in Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture from August 5th to 7th
(5) The Sendai Tanabata Festival in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture from August 6th to 8th
(6) The Fukushima Waraji Matsuri Festival in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture on August 6th

Moshioyaki-shinji

Four months have passed since the quake and tsunami in Tohoku Region. Memorial services were held in the afflicted areas.
Many people are still searching for their family members. As of July 10, 15,547 people died, 5,344 are missing and about 36,000 are living in evacuation centers such as schools. Sixty percent of the whole amount of rubbles in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures still remains in the areas. The nuclear accident in Fukushima is not over yet.

The rainy season ended in Tohoku Region today. As an aside, Hokkaido area doesn't have the rainy season.

Moshioyaki-shinji(藻塩焼神事) is a religious service held from July 4th to 6th at Okama Jinja Shrine(御釜神社) which is a subordinate shrine of Shiogama Jinja Shrine (鹽竈神社). According to legend, a god named Shiotsuchi-no-ojinokami(鹽土老翁神) who is enshrined at Okama Jinja introduced a method for making salt to people.
Moshio(藻塩) means seaweed salt. A seaweed named hondawara(Sargassum fulvellum) is used here.

Okama Jinja has four sacred cauldrons said to have been used by the god to make salt. It was said the color of water in the cauldrons changes when something extraordinary happens, so their color change was reported to the Domain during the Edo Period.
A live-in caretaker said she saw subtle color change in the two of the four cauldrons on March 11th this year.

●On July 4th, hondawara is harvested in the offing of Hanabuchi harbour. (The harbour was hit by tsunami this March.)
The salt contains rich dietary minerals such as iodine, calcium, kalium and magnesium extracted from hondawara, and it has low level of salt. Some people use hondawara as food for abalone and its strained lees are used as fertilizer. 

●On July 5th, the water of four sacred cauldrons is replaced with tidewater taken at high tide in Matsushima Bay once a year.

●On July 6th, Moshio is made by putting an shallow cauldron on a hearth, puting one tier bamboo shelf over a shallow cauldron, spreading hondawara on the shelf, pouring tidewater over hondawara into the cauldron and boiling down tidewater in the cauldron.
Salt made at this event is offered to Shiogama Jinja Shrine at its annual celebration on July 10th.

Shiogama(しおがま)

Tabrokuen(丹六園) established in 1720 is near Shiogama Jinja and sells a confection named Shiogama(志ほがま) modeled after Moshio. The shop has been making and selling it since the middle of the Edo Period.

Shiogama(しおがま) is a confection which is made by molding a mixture of rice flour, sugar, salt and red shiso (Perilla frutescens). Now this confection is made in various areas. Red shiso represents hondawara.

Moshio was made in various areas around Japan and often appears in classical literature.　The following waka poem is quoted in "Suma(須磨)", chapter 12 of "The Tale of Genji".

わくらばに 問ふ人あらば 須磨の浦に 藻塩たれつつ わぶと答へよ
(Wa-ku-ra-ba-ni To-u-hi-to-a-ra-ba Su-ma-no-u-ra-ni Mo-shi-o-ta-re-tsu-tsu Wa-bu-to-ko-ta-e-yo)

"If someone happens to ask for me, tell him that I'm making salt by pouring tidewater over hondawara at Suma beach(shedding tears) and leading a lonely life ,"　by Ariwara no Narihira(在原業平, 825-880).

Making salt by pouring tidewater over hondawara means shedding tears. Narihira got involved in an incident and was forced to leave Kyoto for Suma. This poem is renowned as a poem that expressed wreckage of his hopes.

Hote-matsuri(帆手祭) is a festival held at  Shiogama Jinja  to pray for fire prevention originally, dating back to 1682. On March 10th, 16 young men go down the steep flight of 202 steps holding one ton of mikoshi(portable shrine) on their shoulders, parade along the street and go up the flight.
The festival was held as usual this year. However, the next day, that earthquake and tsunami attacked Tohoku Region. In Shiogama City, 45 people were killed.

Chinese lantern plant Fair

In Kanto Region including Tokyo and Yokohama, the rainy season ended 12 days earlier than usual. Hot humid weather will continue from now on.


The Tanabata festival in Shonan Hiratsuka is being held from July 8th to 10th. July 7th is the day of Tanabata(七夕) or the Star Festival,　but the festivals in many areas such as Sendai are held in August according to the lunar calendar.
(See more information about  The Star Festival)

Many people write their wishes on strips of colorful paper and hang them from bamboo branches.

Chinese lantern plant Fair is being held on the grounds of Sensou-ji temple(浅草寺) at Taito City in Tokyo on July 9th and 10th.
(See more information about  Chinese lantern plant Fair)

Chinese lantern(鬼灯 or 酸漿, hozuki) in a pot comes bundled with a wind-bell.

 
 

wind-bells

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hiraizumi

On July 1st, we started to save our electricity use by up to 15 percent. Businesses that violate the law will face penalties. Working days and hours vary from company to company now.

Air conditioners use too much electricity, so sales of electric fans have exploded. Various items to beat the heat including folding fans, paper fans, bamboo blinds and water pillows are selling well. The green wall(green facade) is also popular. wind-bells actually don't cool a room, but they make us feel cool. So they are also selling well.


Chuson-ji Hondo(main hall)


Hiraizumi(平泉) including Chuson-ji Temple (中尊寺) and Motsu-ji Temple (毛越寺) in Iwate Prefecture was registered as a World Heritage site by UNESCO on June 28th.

On the 13th day of the 5th month in the lunar calendar(on June 29th in the Gregorian calendar) in 1689, haiku poet Matsuo Basho(松尾芭蕉) visited Hiraizumi during the rainy season and composed the following poems.

Gikeido (Yoshitsune Hall) in Takadachi


 夏草や兵どもが夢の跡
(Na-tsu-ku-sa-ya  Tsu-wa-mo-no-do-mo-ga  Yu-me-no-a-to)
"A long time ago powerful warriors fought with dreams of supremacy here, but a whole field of summer grass spread out in front of me now," written by Matsuo Basho.

Basho wrote this poem at Takadachi, the deathplace of Minamoto no Yoshitsune(源義経, 1159-1189), located to in the southeast of Chuson-ji Temple.


Chuson-ji Tsukimizaka


Yoshitsune was a tragic hero whose brother Minamoto no Yoritomo(源頼朝) was the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. Although Yoshitsune craved affection and acceptance from his brother, Yoritomo cast off Yoshitsune. He escaped to Hiraizumi counting on the Fujiwara family because he was put under the protection of Fujiwara no Hidehira(藤原秀衡) for a period of time.


Chuson-ji


Hidehira welcomed him, but Hidehira's son
Yasuhira (泰衡) drove Yoshitsune to his death to keep peace of Hiraizumi after Hidehira's death. However, the family was destroyed by Yoritomo in 1189 after Yoshitsune's death .

Yoshitsune was very popular in Japan, so he appears in many legends and stories such as "Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees(義経千本桜, Yoshitsune Senbon-zakura)".



current saya-do housing Konjiki-do

 
五月雨のふり残してや光堂
(Sa-mi-da-re-no  Fu-ri-no-ko-shi-te-ya  Hi-ka-ri-do-u)
"Surrounding buildings have fallen into decay, but only Hikari-do is as resplendent as it was ever. As if early summer rain skirted around it," written by Matsuo Basho.


Konjiki-do(Pictures prohibited in here)

  Hikari-do refers to Konjiki-do of Chuson-ji Temple. Now a reinforced concrete building with glass case has housed the hall since 1965. It is incongruous for the temple.




Chuson-ji  Benkei-do


Some people say "the land of gold" called jipangu in the Book of Marco Polo (1299) referred to Konjiki-do of Chuson-ji Temple that the Northan Fujiwara family built. The family took advantage of alluvial gold and horses which were specialties of Tohoku to reign over Tohoku region virtually for three generations including Kiyohira(清衡), Motohira(元衡) and Hidehira(秀衡).



Chuson-ji  Noh stage

 Although the temple was placed under the protection of the Kamakura Shogunate after the destruction of the Fujiwara family, it decayed gradually. Most buildings in the temple disappeared due to wars and fires.

Konjiki-do (金色堂) built in 1124 literally means "Golden Hall". The mummified remains of Kiyohira, Motohira and Hidehira and Yasuhira's head are placed in the hall. In 1950, several seeds of lotus were found in the wooden container in which Yasuhira's head was enshrined. Some of them put forth buds in 1993 and came into bloom in 1998.

former wooden saya-do

 Some buildings housing the hall were built to protect the hall from wind and rain within decades after the construction of the hall.
Wooden saya-do(覆堂) housing the hall is thought to have been built in the 15th century and was moved near the hall. This saya-do is now designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. the Date family, the lords of the Sendai Domain supported the temple in the Edo Period. Basho saw the hall housed in this wooden saya-do.
The Japanese government has preserved the temple since the Meiji Period. In 1962, the hall was dismantled to restore.

I've been to Hiraizumi including Chuson-ji and Motsu-ji.  I was impressed because I could imagine the past glory of Chuson-ji Temple from the current state of the temple, Basho's haiku poems and the tragedy of Yoshitsune. I wonder if visitors who are not emotionally attached to them will be touched by the temple.


Motsu-ji  Jodo Garden

 Fujiwara no Motohira and Hidehira contributed to the prosperity of Motsu-ji Temple. All buildings of the temple were destroyed by fires after the destruction of the Fujiwara family. During the Edo Period, the Date Domain supported the temple.

Motsu-ji  Jodo Garden

Motsu-ji Temple is famous for its Jodo(浄土) garden built by in the early 12th century.
The garden represented Sukhavati (Amitabha's Pure Land). Even in Kyoto, there are very few Jodo gardens. It is said that only Motsu-ji's garden still retains the original form of Jodo garden.

Motsu-ji  Jodo Garden in autumn

  
The garden differs from most gardens in Japanese temples, so it left a fresh impression on me. The garden had a relaxed atmosphere. I thought the garden appeared similar to Chinese garden.



photos by  日本列島お国自慢
                 列島宝物館(平泉)

Hydrangea(2)

There are a great variety of hydrangeas.

Hydrangea macrophylla f. normalis

Hydrangea macrophylla normalis(額紫陽花, Gaku-ajisai) is native to Japan and has flowerheads with subdued and fertile flowers ringed by showy and sterile flowers. Lacecap hydrangeas are thought to be original species of hydrangeas. Gaku means a frame(額縁, gakubuchi). Outer flowers are like a frame.

Mihara-yae(三原八重) is indigenous to Izu-Oshima Island.

Nadeshiko-gakuajisai(撫子額紫陽花) which was found in the east Izu Peninsula has outer flowers with notched petals.

Mikawa-chidori(三河千鳥) is a hedrangea without outer flowers and had been cultivated in a private home in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Sahashi(佐橋) was found at Sahashi in Niigata prefecture.

Sumida-no-hanabi(墨田の花火) is a new variety of gakuajisai. Its flowers represent fireworks at the Sumida River. It's a very popular hydrangea and is planted in my garden.






Hydrangea macrophylla f. macrophylla

Hydrangea macrophylla macrophylla(紫陽花 or 本紫陽花, ajisai or hon-ajisai) is thought to be a type of Hydrangea macrophylla normalis which have mop flowerheads.

Hydrangea macrophylla f. hortensia

European plant cultivators developed Hydrangea macrophylla hortensia based on Japanese hydrangeas.

Hydrangea macrophylla f. domotoi(石化八重紫陽花, Sekka-yae-ajisai) dates back to the Edo Period. Its stem is flat. It is also known as "Juni-hitoe" which refers to lady's ceremonial court dress.

Hydrangea macrophylla f. concavosepala(Ayesha bigleaf hydrangea, Popcorn hydrangea)

Hydrangea macrophylla concavosepala or Hydrangea macrophylla cv. Uzu-azisai (渦紫陽花, uzu-ajisai) dates back to the Edo Period.

Hydrangea macrophylla f. variegate

Hydrangea macrophylla f. variegate(Gakuajisai with variegated leaves) is one of antique-variety hydrangeas and was already known in the Edo Period.



Hydrangea serrata (H. macrophylla subsp. serrata)

Hydrangea serrata(山紫陽花, yama-ajisai) is a variety of hydrangea native to mountainous regions of eastern Asia and Japan.
Compared to Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea serrata are small and its leaves are small, thin and lusterless. They are firm favorites with some gardening lovers. I like them.

Hydrangea serrata f. rosalba(紅額, benigaku)

Hydrangea serrata f. prolifera(七段花, Shichidanka)

Hydrangea serrata f. pulchella

(清澄沢紫陽花, Kiyosumisawa-ajisai) is found around Mt. Kiyosumi in Chiba Prefecture.

Hydrangea serrata var.thunbergii(甘茶, amacha)

Amacha(甘茶) means sweet tea.Hydrangea is a poisonous plant, but a herbal tea made from amacha's leaves containing a natural sweetener named pyllodulcin are used for Buddha's birthday Festival on April 8th. The tea is poured over a statue of Buddha and is served at the festival.

Hydrangea serrata var. megacarpa(subsp. Yezoenis)

Hydrangea serrata var. megacarpa(蝦夷紫陽花, Ezo-ajisai) grow mainly in areas of heavy snowfall in Japan.

Rokkoyaetemari(六甲八重手毬) was found on the Mt. Rokko in Kobe.

Hydrangea serrata' "Akisinotemari"(秋篠手毬) was found on 29 June 1990 when Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko got married.

Hydrangea hirta(小紫陽花, koajisai) is a hedrangea without outer flowers.

Oakleaf hydrangea(柏葉紫陽花)

Hydrangea quercifolia(Oakleaf hydrangea) is native to the Southeastern United States. Recently, I often see these hydrangeas in my area.






Hydrangea and snail go together.

額紫陽花袋　デザイン/藤本正子
"drawstring　pouch in the shape of Hydrangea macrophylla forma normalis " designed by Masako Fujimoto
Shigeyoshi Inoue ed.,Wa-no-Nunoasobi-chirimenzaiku,(Tokyo:ONdori Sha,2003),P.4
井上重義監修,和の布遊びちりめん細工,雄鶏社,2003,P.4

A confection representing hydrangea. White bean-paste ball is coated with colored kanten cubes.

color gradations with kanten cubes