おすすめ/RECOMMENDED

三大祭、紅葉、名所などを厳選して記事とビデオでご紹介!
Recommended articles and videos, BAAH!

あ、ポチッとな/CLICK HERE!
PR

Moon viewing at Yasaka shrine september 2019

In this article, we can enjoy a Moon viewing in Yasaka shrine in Kyoto. Moon viewing is a festival/ritual to admire the full moon in September with music and dance performances.

スポンサーリンク

Viewing the moon. Are all Japanese people astronomers?

In September, we enjoy viewing the moon.This custom might sound strange to you because the moon is nothing but a planet.Why do we enjoy viewing it?Let me show you the answer.

Moon viewing is a festival to celebrate mid-autumn and we adore the full moon.The day of the festival depends in ancient Japanese lunar calendar. These days, the festival is held in mid-September in Gregorian calendar.In this season, we can feel a coming of autumn though it is a mid-autumn festival.

In ancient times, people just enjoyed viewing the moon.In Heian period, the custom to watch the full moon in mid-autumn brought to Japan from China.The custom was acceptable because Japanese people found pleasure in admiring each season. The aristocracy loved to watch the moon with music and sake.

At the same time, autumn is a season for cultivating of crops. Cultivation is very important for us because Shinto has a close relationship to rice cultivation as I indicated in the last article.In autumn, we show our gratitude to Shinto Kami which represent nature that provides us with crops.

下鴨神社の名月管絃祭

Take a look at the picture above.These are typical offerings prepared for moon viewing.You can find glasses at a right side of the picture.The glasses works as yorishiro (依代)which kami descend to.

スポンサーリンク

Moon viewing in nowadays

福栄堂 祇園の月/Dango

On the day of moon viewing, we watch the moon at home. we eat dango, the Japanese sweets because it resembles the moon.

Manju

We watch the moon and find a rabbit in the moon sometimes.(The shadows on the moon look like a rabbit. )The rabbit on the moon based on the Buddhist anecdotes.Once upon a time, an old man was on a street.He was so tired and hungry that he couldn’t move.Then a monkey, a fox and a rabbit found him.The monkey gave him nuts and the fox gave him fishes.The rabbit couldn’t find anything to eat.Then the rabbit asked the monkey and fox to make fire.When they made fire, the rabbit jumped into the fire to make himself a food.The old man was Taishakuten, the guardian of Buddhism.He put the rabbit on the moon as the gratitude for its sacrifice .Take a look at a Japanese sweets in the picture above.It stands for moon and you can find a rabbit on it.

スポンサーリンク

Moon viewing at shrines and temples

We also view the moon at shrines and temples.They hold many ceremonies.We enjoy the moon, music, and so on.

スポンサーリンク

Moon viewing at Yasaka shrine:Kangetsu-sai

I show you Kangetsu-sai (観月祭), the moon viewing ceremony at Yasaka shrine.Kangetsu-sai is not famous as Gion Masuri festival but have family atmosphere.It is suitable for enjoying autumn night.

2016年八坂神社の観月祭2016年八坂神社の観月祭

2016年八坂神社の観月祭

Kangetsu-sai is a Shito riual Yasaka shrine holds on the day of the full moon in September.

 

2016年八坂神社の観月祭

At the begging, a Shinto priest purify attendants and guests.After that, other priest read aloud the waka winners of competition composed.The waka was dedicated to susanoo-no-mikoto, the kami enshrined in Yasaka shrine.The kami composed waka for the first time in Japanese mythology.

 

Like other rituals, Gagaku (雅楽), the Japanese ancient music was offered to Kami.

 

After playing of Gagaku, bugaku (舞楽), the court music and dance was also offered.

 

This was the most beautiful moment in the ritual.The music sounds alive in complete silence of the night.The instruments is koto, the Japanese strumming instrument.

 

At the end of the ritual, they offered taiko(太鼓), the Japanese drums.It also dedicated to susanoo-no-mikoto.

2016年八坂神社の観月祭

When the ritual was finished, we could have glasses in the picture above as amulet.

2016年八坂神社の観月祭/Yasaka shrine at night

The night is still alive….



この記事が気に入ったら
いいね!してね。
Follow me, BAAH!
Don't miss the latest article from Kyoto.
For International Readers
スポンサーリンク
シェアする
フォローしてね/ Follow me, BAAH!