| "Matsuri" The etymology of the word "Matsuri" in Japan originates from the act of making an offering of rice cakes and Sake to a God. Since ancient times, people have believed that the advent of God occurs every time during the period of matsuri and goes back to the heaven after Matsuri end This led to the basic construction of the courtesy of greeting the god and offering him rice cakes and Sake, then making a expressing gratitude before seeing him off when the time comes. When Matsuri has ended, people eat and drink the things that they had offered to the God. This means that these people will receive God's great spiritual power and will benefit by the God. Matsuri is a seasonable event and, as such, is inseparable from the seasons. In other words, it is not too impossible to say that Matsuri evolved into he basis for determining the year's seasons. A year in Japan is a calendar year centering on rice crops. People pray for fertility in the spring and report the results of the harvest to the God while expressing gratitude. This occurs in the form of spring and autumn festivals. People offer new crops to the God at the festivals, representing gratitude for the harvest and then eat those crops with the God. Both the God and people eat enough, then thank God for fertility and pray for same fertility next year. The purpose of winter is to accumulate the energy which has been lost during crop production activities of the previous seasons. Therefore, people multiply and enforce the spiritual power for the next spring by holding the winter festival. In spring, people come back with strong spiritual power and perfect bodies. They pray for fertility for the upcoming year. This is he spring festival. The summer festival has a different character from the three other festivals. Though the season from late autumn to summer is the most important season, it is also the season when harmful insects outbreak. The summer festival's theme is to get rid of misfortune and uneasiness.  Mikoshi is a vehicle on which the God rides The God travels on the Mikoshi
and goes around to parishioners. The style of riding Mikoshi varies from area to area. In some areas, people hold Mikoshi quietly and in other areas people hold roughly to symbolize the inspiration of the God. In the meantime, the reason why Mikoshi goes around parishioners is to symbolize that the descended God gives charity to the people. That is why people throw coins to the Mikoshi and pray. |