Japanese festivals |Beautiful Japanese culture!|Mount Miwa #07‐Saikusa-matsuri (Saikusa-Festival).

三輪山シリーズ#07「三枝祭(さいくさのまつり)」


Do you know about Japanese festivals? Saikusa-matsuri is one of the traditional festivals held in a Japanese shrine in Japan. At 4T-AMKY, Teachers and Students write about Japanese culture, food, history, many spots to visit, and other stuff. Enjoy reading and knowing about deeper Japanese culture!


Mount Miwa#07 ‐Saikusa-matsuri (Saikusa-Festival).


Sasayuri

Bamboo lilies called Sasayuri (Lilium japonicum) have been cherished and used as flowers and offerings to the Kami (deities) in Omiwa shrine.

According to Kojiki, one of the oldest surviving historical chronicle in Japan (compiled in the year 712), sasayuri grew in abundance and beautifully around Sai-river at the foot of Mt. Miwa.

In early June, their light pink flowers can still be seen across the grounds of Omiwa Shrine.

Saikusa-matsuri

There is another shrine located in Nara prefecture, named Isagawa shrine (which is a sub-shrine of Omiwa shrine).  Every June 17th a festival, Saikusa-matsuri or (Saikusa-Festival), which is also called Yuri-matsuri takes place at the Isagawa shrine celebrated to ward off pestilence.

Many sasayuri from Mount Miwa are presented as offerings to the kami.

The flowers are carried from Omiwa shrine to Isagawa shrine on June 16th.

During the festival on June 17th, the female shrine attendants (miko) perform an offertory dance with branches of sasayuri in their hands to please the kami.

This Saikusa-matsuri is specified by Taiho Code established in 701 as a national ritual like Hanashizume-no-matsuri (see Mout Miwa #6), therefore it has been celebrated at least for more than 1300 years.

Note:
  1. Photos of bamboo lilies are taken by Mr. Yukio Nemoto, the representative of Tokyo branch of Omiwa shrine.

2. Other photos are printed in a magazine Omiwa, the 142 number published by Omiwa shrine.


三輪山シリーズ#07 「三枝祭(さいくさのまつり)」

笹ゆり

「笹ゆり」は大神(おおみわ)神社のご神花です。
『古事記』によると、三輪山の麓の狭井川のほとりには、たくさんの笹ゆりが咲いていたそうです。
今でも6月初旬には、境内でピンク色の花を咲かせます。

三枝祭(さいくさのまつり)

毎年6月17日には、奈良市にある、大神神社の摂社、率川(いさがわ)神社で「三枝祭(さいくさのまつり)」別名「ゆりまつり」が行われます。疫病除けの祭典です。
大神神社の笹ゆりが奉納されます。
6月16日に、大神神社より率川神社へ 運ばれます。
17日の式典では、巫女が笹ゆりの花を手に神楽「うま酒みわの舞」を奉奏します。

「三枝祭」は、大神神社と狭井神社で行われる鎮花祭(はなしずめのまつり)と同じく『大宝律令(701年)』で国家の祭祀として定められたおまつりです。少なくとも1300年以上の間毎年続けられています。


Aki Sawaguchi.

Editor: Stuart Cauley

注)

笹ゆりの写真は、大神神社東京分祠代表 根本幸夫先生より提供して頂きました。
おまつりの写真は、大神神社発行『大美和』142号に掲載されているものです。

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