Aisatsu

Aisatsu

This blog is for family and friends, to share my feelings and photos with and for myself, to support my fading memory. Readers who have my site translated automatically, please refer to the original if necessary. Especially when it comes to identification. Any comments, anonymous or by email name are always welcome!.

Wednesday 21 December 2016

Atago Fire Walking

This spectacular shinto ceremony is held every year on the 5th of December at the Atago Shrine - right in our neighborhood. Fire is used to purify the place and people from bad influences before the start of the new year. Part of the shrine's front yard gets cordoned off with rope to create a space where gods can enter. Colored strips of paper indicate north, south, west and east. An extra color (yellow) is used marking this sacred void. I decided to walk up the hill and get a good look. Preparations were under way.










Personal wishes were written on strips of wood (gomaki) to be burned.






The great pile of wood and spruce set up in the center


Rituals with a sword, an ax, and a bow and arrow were performed; the gods of fire were asked to enter...






...and the fire was lit.  




Priests started chanting and praying, while smoke bellowed up from the pile




When the flames rose, the gomaki were burned


It became hotter by the minute, but chanting was kept up relentlessly to warden off bad spirits










Towards the end the heat was nearly unbearable. Some priests started shaking and behaving a bit odd - as in a trance


Then the moment came that the wood had burned down. The bad demons had left and the place was clean. The rope was removed and common people could enter.


The first priest to walk on the hot coals was blessed


Wielding a sword he crossed the path 




A line of locals had formed, waiting to be cleansed as well.




I haven't tried the hot coals myself, but vowed to do so next time.
Maybe it prevents me from getting another bad cold!


Memory of 2013.

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Bitter Kaki (persimmon)

The best fruit in November




The fruit is peeled and hung to dry. After a couple of weeks the astringent taste turns sweet and they are packed to the shops, where they cost you a fortune...


The peels dried as well and get are used pickles


I suppose that's where these peppers come in






Monday 19 December 2016

Autumn, 秋

It was a national holiday and I drove to the mountains to look for autumn colors.
There is this temple surrounded by big trees.


From there it's a short walk to a nearby lake where tree trunks are reflected in the water on calm days.







Back at the temple it started to rain





And I retreated to the view from my car







A few days later the sun returned