On-maturi

This is Wakamiya- Shrine's festival. Wakamiya-shrine is affiliated with Kasuga-Grand-Shrine.

In the year 1136, people in Yamato district were suffering from flood or hunger, so Kanpaku(the rank to assist a Emperor)-Fujiwarano Tadamichi built the temporary palace and dedicated performing arts to Wakamiya God.  Rain stopped and became to get rich harvest. So this became an annual event. This festival has been continued and this year is the 878th.

                                   Yabusame by a boy.    He put an arrow in the target excellently

                                                   Maiden in Shrine

                                                          Bacyo-no-chigo

                                                              before the parade

                                                  Daimyo-gyoretu

                                                                      horse race

The festival was held from the 15th to the 18th on December. The climax is the 17th. At 0:00a.m. Wakamiya God enter at the temporary palace.  From 12:00p.m. performing arts groups and people join the festival start a procession. From 3:30p.m. until 11:00p.m. they dedicate dances on the 9 m square grass stage. After those performing Wakamiya God get back to his usual palace around 11:30p.m.

                                                           They played Kagura

 

                                            Azuma-asobi   four boys played.

                                                                         Dengaku

                                                                     Seinoo

Since Onmaturi began in Nara where Japanese culture was born.  Shinto ritual  or Kagura, Azumaasobi, Yamatomai etc in old Japanese performing arts have been strictly protected .Bugaku that came from Korean peninsula are handed down. And Dengaku, Seinoo, Sarugaku etc that were formed among citizen in Middle Ages are succeeded relatively correctly. So this festival look like the museum of art performance.

    Bugaku,  Kitoku  (I took last year.If you would like to see last bolg, click Here .)

                                                                                                ( I took the year before last)

                                                                         Bugaku,  Nasori            (I took last year)

Thank you for visiting during this year.
Wishing you Merry Christmas and Very Happy New year!              
                                                                              Best Wishes Sarah
 

Today's Todaiji-Temple

Today I felt here is alive with foreign travelers,having a bustle before the  Lehman Shock. Thanks to yen's depreciation,I wonder?

I walked around at the site of the Todaiji-Temple today.
Maples or ginkgos leaves have already colored and started falling from the trees. ｔhey were showing the last glow, receiving the late autumn's light.

As the site of Todaiji-Temple is very large and I don't know well about the way around there. So I strolled the place where I can see the golden しび（ a kind of decoration that attached the both side of ridge of roof,  charm against the fire, that's embodied the shape that fish jumps from the surface and left its tail over the surface.)
             
                                                      The Great Buddha of Todaiji

                                                                 Around Daibutu Pond

                                                    From The Febuary -Hall in Todaiji

There are many big ginkgo trees in the site and  their golden leaves were strewed and accumulated widely around them. The place covered with ginkgo's leaves are shiny in the dimly grove, so couples, children, foreign travelers and deers were exciting together on the yellow carpet and  touching the warmness ginkgo provided.

When Fall turned the leaves crimson in Japan, people go maple viewing. This custom started around Heian period ( around 8 ~12century, its capital was Kyoto city) so many maple trees are planted in Kyoto city.

Many people composed a tanka poem related to the maple trees. This was composed in around 10 century.

                奥山に紅葉踏み分け
                     鳴く鹿の　
                          声聞く時ぞ秋は悲しき

meaning:
　　Feet deep in maple's autumnal carpets in the mountains,

     Away from crowds along with distant voice,

      Heart deep in sorrow with deer crying in solo.


(Both the writer and the deer were disappointed in love,I wonder?)

Some world heritage site like Todaiji-temple or Kasuga Grand Shrine or Kofukuji-Temple etc, are built near each other and also adjoin the living space of people or Nara park. We can go around by foot. People are trying to let the living space sit in the situation of the old days as possible as they can. So when I walk there I can be in the restful world like time stopped. I like it. I think it's similar to some  European medieval world heritage site.