Shinkō-sai
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The Shinkō-sai, also known as "Owatari", "Miyuki" or "Oide" is a type of Shinto festival in which the gods are believed to leave the main shrine to visit other places[1]. The festival is also referred to as "Kan-gyō-sai" in some cases, when the gods are returning to the main shrine[1][2]. The origin of the festival is unclear but it is believed that it was already being practiced in the late ancient period and became more widespread in the medieval period.[1]
During the festival, the gods are carried on portable shrines or palanquins, and in some cases, they are transported by boat on rivers or the sea. The route and places visited during the festival are based on ancient tradition and are respected by each shrine. The dress and behavior of the priests, followers, and the objects of worship, such as treasures, also vary from shrine to shrine.[1]
The festival is also referred to as "Togyo-matsuri," "O-tabi," or "O-de-de," and is particularly known as "Kanko-matsuri," or "Kanko-matsuri," when it is the return of the spirit to the shrine. The Shinkosai ritual is one of many Japanese festivals that invoke and send off divine spirits, and often includes rituals for welcoming and sending off the spirits.[2]
Shinkosai is often translated as "to worship the coming of the deity" and it takes place when the deities depart from the shrine. The spirit of the deity is enclosed in a string of sakaki branches and placed in the center of the procession, and is sent off to the place of its departure over a period of one or several days. The festival at which the spirit returns to the head shrine is called a kankosai.[2]
In Japan, the emperor's Miyuki is called Gyoko, while the deity's Miyuki is referred to as Shinkou. The festival is believed to have been modeled after the military appearance of the god Neretsunushi when he pacified the land, and it is performed with the portable shrine as the core of the procession, accompanied by clansmen from eight nearby towns and villages.[2]
The Katori Jingu Shrine, for example, holds a regular festival on April 14, and also has many special rituals held at the headquarters, including the rice planting ceremony on April 4, the Daikyo Festival on the evening of November 30, the Yogoto Festival on the evening of December 1, the Naijin Kagura on the evening of December 4, and the Danki Festival on the evening of December 7. The highlight of which is the Jinko Matsuri (military festival) on April 15.[2]
In addition, the festivals of the Kami-Goryo and Shimo-Goryo shrines are held every summer and fall. After the Onin War (1498), the festival was restored, and in modern times, both the Upper and Lower Goryo Shrines have a Shinkosai on August 11 of the lunar calendar, where the portable shrines are delivered to the Otabisho and stay there until August 18, when they are returned to the shrines.[2]
The reasons for the gods to leave the main shrine can vary, such as visiting the community, visiting a specific place related to the god, to expel epidemics, to pacify the gods, or to commemorate the landing of the gods in a certain place according to tradition, as in the case of some hidden shrines. The style of the festival can also vary, from calm and orderly to wild and grandiose.[1]
For example, at the Asama Shrine in Kai province, until 1874, the festival was held annually on April 15th and the gods of the shrine were taken to the Kamizu River embankment, where a river purification ceremony was held to pray for flood control. After that, the gods returned to the main shrine. However, due to various circumstances, the festival was held only at Asama Shrine from that year and was discontinued in 1955.[1]
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Bibliography[edit]
- Morita (2015). 日本の祭と神賑 [Japanese Festivals and Shinto Festivals]. 創元社. ISBN 9784422230351. Search this book on
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