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AndySerrano — Mikoshi at Kamakura
Published: 2008-12-12 00:56:35 +0000 UTC; Views: 1342; Favourites: 30; Downloads: 45
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Mikoshi at KamakuraIn April, every year, portable shrines, known as Mikoshi, are paraded in Kamakura, Japan.
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More on the portable shrine
A festival, popular even among foreigners, to pray for fertility and protection from AIDS. Starting at 10:00, a “fire carrying festival” ceremony where a bonfire is lit by striking flint, annual ceremony, and putting the deity in the “mikoshi” (portable shrine) will take place. Then, Kanamara group volunteers will carve daikon radishes into male and female forms and offer them to the god, followed by a masked procession. 3 portable shrines will be brought out, around which costumed participants parade in the street. Participation is free. Samurai costumes, kimono, swords, etc. are available.
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Comments: 19
They have a magic world and a deep poetry and philosophy
I think that is also a difference between the psychology way of being of
the females and men . Don't you believe ?
Coming also from their history and traditions
Radu
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They need the outer mask and beauty of their rituals. There is a flip side to Japanese society. It consists of a long series of feudal wars and the unhappy subjugation of women. I remember seeing these beautiful waterfalls taki called the Kegon Waterfalls. Women who were unhappy with their arranged marriage would fling themselves off the waterfalls to their certain deaths. Today, they don't have feudal wars, but men, and increasingly women, are expected to work very long hours and neglect their families. Japanese rituals often involve masks and for good reason.
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You were in kamakura ?!
This must be an interesting ritual
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The ritual was taken very seriously and then they held a parade through the village and a festival that lasted all night.
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Wow~~ From what I know, AIDS is a relatively new problem - the virus was discovered in 1981 - and they have already whole festival about it, with costumes and ceremony, while in the rest of the world we just wear red ribbons... I guess it can happen only in Japan. xD
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They are very concerned with it in Japan.
I am very honored you added me to your watch list. Thank you!
Andy
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Ah, don't have to thank me - you've got a really great gallery!
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They had to carry it all through the main village street, which was about a mile and then they had to take it back. So, I can imagine it must have been very heavy.
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Interesting photo! Too bad the viewer can't see more details of the shrine because the men's hands are covering it so much.
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That's the whole shrine you see. The men are only covering up the poles that hold up the portable shrine.
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Ah, thanking you for clearing that up. I understand now.
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That's a big compliment. Thanks
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All those men in traditional Japanese attire . . . that is really yummy. I like the angle you got here, and the peek at the landscape beyond them, it is really breath taking.
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I made it a point to arrive in this village during the festival. During my trip to Japan, this festival was the only one listed as going on during my trip. So, I was not about to miss it! Thank you for the fave
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Heavy 
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Thanks to you, I looked it up and added the description under the photo.
A festival, popular even among foreigners, to pray for fertility and protection from AIDS. Starting at 10:00, a “fire carrying festival” ceremony where a bonfire is lit by striking flint, annual ceremony, and putting the deity in the “mikoshi” (portable shrine) will take place. Then, Kanamara group volunteers will carve daikon radishes into male and female forms and offer them to the god, followed by a masked procession. 3 portable shrines will be brought out, around which costumed participants parade in the street. Participation is free. Samurai costumes, kimono, swords, etc. are available.
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