Traditional events cover all sections of society

Lasting Tradition By Tatsuya Sakamoto Special to The Daily Yomiuri

Shinto rituals

Although some Shinto shrines are relatively large, smaller shrines can generally be found in wooded areas of villages or among trees in cities.

Even people who do not normally go to shrines, make a point of visiting them on special occasions, such as New Year, to pray for good fortune or that their children will grow up healthy and in a peaceful world.

Many shrines have deities that look favorably on certain trades, such as fishing or cooking, and people engaged in these endeavors pay their respects to these shrines in the hope that their businesses will prosper. Farmers, in particular, pray for good harvests.

Aenokoto is a feast held to thank the god of rice paddies, whose sight became poor as he had look everywhere to make sure there were no accidents at harvest time. People appease him by making offerings of food.

In a ritual called Ondasai, cows and horses are used to level in rice paddies, and girls plant rice seedlings before an altar to pray for bumper crops.

Another ritual, Hochoshiki, is for chefs who cook fish using knives and chopsticks as it is important not to touch the fish with the hands. The cooked fish is then offered to the gods.

In a coming-of-age ritual, Eboshigi, 16-year-olds become adults. After this rite of passage, they are allowed to participate in events to worship guardian gods.

A more thrilling event is the 1,200-year-old Kakeuma Shinji, in which horseback riders thrill spectators with spectacular stunts.

Photographer Tatsuya Sakamoto's "Lasting Tradition" will end this month. The final two installments feature previously run photographs on specific subjects. Today, we focus on a collection of Shinto rituals, while the final installment will spotlight traditional crafts related to wind.