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Oto Festival
Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture, February 6, 2000
This festival is held at the Kamikura Shrine in Shingu City.
A festival of "bravery", men run down steep stone steps carrying
torches to signify their courage.
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Emburi
Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, February 17-20, 2000
"Emburi" is a harvest festival rich in local color. More than
50 groups of villagers, each comprising of 30 people, get
together at Shiragi Shrine on Mt. Choja in the morning and
go down into the streets in gala processions.
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Hina Nagashi
Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture, March 3
This ceremonial offering of dolls from all over Japan, is
held at the Awashima Shrine. The dolls are put on the river
and left floating down the river to the ocean. This is a memorial
service for the dead.
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Omizutori
Todaiji, Nara, April 1-14
In the evening of the Waterdrawing Festival of Todaiji,
a solemn rite is performed in the flickering light of pine
torches. Young ascetics brandish huge burning torches, drawing
circles of fire and shaking off the burning pieces in the
darkness of the night, for which pious people make a rush
as the fire flakes are believed to have a magic power against
evil. The function is held on the largest scale on the night
of the 12th.
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Ochamori (Grand Tea Ceremony)
Saidiji Temple, Nara Prefecture, 2nd Saturday &
Sunday of April
This is a grand tea ceremony which has been conducted since
the Kamakura Period. This ceremony is said to have originated
from the fact that the high-ranking priest of the Saidaiji
Temple, Eison, offered powdered tea to the deity of a local
shrine and held a tea party for the visitors to the shrine.
With a beautiful rug spread in a spacious room, the tea ceremony
is prepared for guests, and priests of the temple offer tea
to them after making it in an extremely large tea bowl.
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Kagura Festival
Ise City, Mie Prefecture, April 5 & September
22
Held at the Ise Grand Shrine, this festival features court
dances and music at a specially installed stage at the Secret
Garden.
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Inobuta Derby
Susami Town, May 3
This is a fun track race featuring baby inobutas. A special
event of Susami Town, it is held at the Susami bathing beach.
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Procession of the 25 Bodhisattvas
Nara Prefecture, May 14, 2000
This ceremony reenacts the story of the princess Chujohime,
who is said to have been led to the Buddha's Pure Land by
25 bodhisattvas. People dressed as bodhisattvas walk in procession
down the path leading from this world, represented by the
Sabado Hall, to the Pure Land, represented by the Hondo (Main
Hall) at the Taimadera Temple.
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