Suwa-Taisha

The Suwa Taisha (Japanese诹 访 大 社; something like: " large shrine of Suwa ") is a Shinto shrine in the vicinity of Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. He is one of the oldest shrines at all and is mentioned in the Kojiki. It is the main shrine of about 10,000 other Suwa shrines throughout Japan. Distributed by him bun - rei ( where transferred to other shrines Mitama the Kami ) are made ​​of metal, the importance of their odd shape is unknown.

The priesthood at the Suwa Taisha is hereditary, the tradition of the shrine by the family shall consist of direct descendants of the local kami. These are Ō- kuni - nushis Son Take- mi - nakata -no- Mikoto (建 御 名 方 命) and his wife -no- mikoto Yasakatome (八 坂 刀 売 命).

In winter from HONGU to visit Legend has crossed Take- mi - nakata from the Suwa Lake to his wife Yasakatome Haru - miya. The way he is using is the line O - miwa - tari (御 神 渡), you want to begin to break the ice on the lake first.

The mountain is in Akadake Akadake -jinja ( a massha, ie addition shrine ) worshiped here. In Waka - miya are the 13 children of the divine couple.

The shrine consists of two parts, the Upper and the Lower Shrine, located on opposite sides of the Suwa Lake.

Upper Shrine

His real name is Kami -sha (上 社). It is located in the town of Suwa (诹 访 市,- shi). Originally there were around ten temples to him, nine of the Shinbutsu - Bunri were destroyed in the course. It consists of two parts, the HONGU or hon - miya with Take -mi- nakata as the only Kami ( the pagans is jukken - rō called ) and the mae - miya (also Zengu, with Yasaka tome as Kami, in the Uchi - Mitama - the is the nigi - Mitama the kami worshiped in dogs ).

The shintai to be a tree ( himorogi ).

Niederer Shrine

His real name is Shimo -sha (下 社), it is located in the village Shimosuwa (下 诹 访 町; -machi ) in the district of Suwa (诹 访 郡; -gun ). The divine couple and Koto - shiro - nushi be ( another son Ō- kuni - nushis ) worshiped as kami in him. It consists of two dogs ( Haru- miya (春宫; Spring Shrine ) and Aki- miya (秋 宫; Autumn Shrine ) ), where dwell the Kami six months of the year and then in a joyful celebration ( O- fune -matsuri ) are borne on February 1 and August 1 in the other.

Festivals

The entry " Sacrifice ( Japan)" in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics by Michel Revon According to yet sacrificed annually 75 deer in the shrine until about the beginning of the 20th century.

Senza - Matsuri

The Senza Matsuri (迁 座 祭) is held twice a year festival in which the kami of Shimo -sha are supported by a dogs in the other. The Ofune Matsuri (お 舟 祭り; Boat Festival ) on August 1, which is celebrated in other shrines, is a part of it and is celebrated much more exuberant.

The " boat " is a kind of raft made of twigs ( shiba ) and keyaki ( Zelkova serrata ), with the symbol of the kami (in the form of a crow ) on it. The whole structure weighs about eight tons and is supported by members of the community in the main part of the feast of the shrine to shrine.

Onbashira -sai

Every six years (either in the year of the tiger or the year of the monkey ) on April 2, is the Suwa Taisha until May 10, the great feast Onbashira -sai (御 柱 祭, also Mihashira -sai, the full name is shikinen Zoei mihashira -sai, what about Sacred tree trunk - fixed means ) aligned. The last was held in 2010, the next will therefore take place in 2016.

It should come from the reign of Kammu - tennō and originally, before that, its been a complete Sengu. It is a very famous treat that should have been pursued by 1.78 million viewers in 1998. Meanwhile it is, but on a smaller scale, committed by several dozen other shrines in the vicinity of Lake Suwa.

Be three years before the beginning of the feast per shrine 4 old trees ( a total of 16 fir ) on the slopes of the mountains Yatsugatake (for the Kami- sha) and Kirigamine (for the Shimo -sha ) is selected. These are called Onbashira ( holy strains) and weigh 12-13 tons each and are about 16-17 feet long. You will be erected at the end of the festival at the corners of the shrines.

The first part of the festival begins April of each year. From 2 to 4 ( Kami -sha ) or 9 to 11 ( Shimo- sha) of the month the tree trunks in the so-called Yamadashi hard (山出し 祭) are transported from the mountains down. In this and all other sections of traditional Kiyari are sung songs originally by loggers.

In Kiotoshi (木 落としor木 落し) the trees are moved down the slopes, where about a thousand people participate and young men sitting on them. Here hills and rivers to be crossed. It crash often one or two participants fatal, others get hurt.

After the strains were drawn through freshly thawed rivers and washed it ( Kawagoe (川越 え) or Kawagoshi (川越し) ), they are stored for about a month.

In the second part of the festival, the Satobiki hard (里 曳き 祭) are the tribes peeled bark (only the second of the Hon - miya retains its ), cleaned and polished and then drawn with elaborate parades to the shrines. Here then is the Tate - Onbashira (建 御 柱), lining up the Onbashira place ( May 3 to 4 at Kami- sha, May 8 to 10 at the Shimo- sha).

The Tate - Onbashira became popular when it was recreated as part of the opening ceremonies for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

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