February 27, 2010 in Sekaione Press, e-magazine by adminsekaione
e-Mag: March event in Japan
???? In the middle of the Edo Period (1603-1867), people made elaborate dolls that they displayed only red-felt-carpeted special steps inside the house, as you today.The set is made up of fifteen dolls in formal classic court costumes-Emperor and Empress on the top shelf in front of a golden folding screen , three-ladies-waiting, five musicians , two retainers and there guards . Two bonbori lanterns , a miniature cherry blossom tree , and an orange tree lend a festive air on the steps. Special hinamatsuri goodies such as colorful hishimochi (diamondshaped rice cakes) , shirozake and hina arare are offered. Miniature furniture, lacquered tableware and vehicles on the lower shelves symbolize a bridal dowry.
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Hinamatsuri ????? The original festival, mentioned in the Tale of Genji, written in the beginning of the 11th Century, was to protect people from evil. Every one made his own statue or doll, wrote his name on it, and floated down a stream hoping evil fortune would float away with the statue.
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Nagashibina ????Now the original of a thousand years ago remains only in limited parts of Japan as nagashibina. A pair of paper dolls are laid in a small straw boat with peach blossoms and rice cakes and set afloat on the river, ocarry away evil with them.
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Tachibina ????The original form of the handmade paper figures in standing position remains today. The hina couple is called “tachibina.” Because of limited space in many houses today, some families display just tachibina pattern.
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Omizutori ????Omizutori, the spectacular feast of water and fire, takes place on March the 12th. It has been celebrated since the middle of the 8th Century. At midnight the festival reaches its climax. On the veranda of the temple, young monks wave huge torches, showering sparks down onto the worshipers below. At two O’clock in the morning, one of the torch bearers proceeds to the holy well, Wakasai Well*, inside Nagatsudo Hall.There the secret water-drawing ceremony is performed by chosen priests. A bucket of holy water is carried back to the main hall to be offered to the Great Buddha. It is believed that those worshipers who catch a “flake” of fire from the torches are free from evil spirits and disease for the whole year. * This water comes underground direct from Wakasa Province, Fukui Prefecture, so they say, and the well was named “Wakasai.”
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Puns with Numerals ????? Since we can read each numeral in several ways in Japanese, we enjoy puns with numerals. Multiple ways of reading numerals help us to remember big figures such as telephone numbers or historic fears. They also give meanings to dates such as: 3?3? 3 . 3 ? . ????? (Ears Day) 6 ?4 ? 6 . 4 ? . ? ?????? (Prevent tooth Decay Day) 8 ?7? 8 . 7 ? . ? ??? (Nose Day) 23? 2 . 3 ? . ? ??(??)?? (Letter-Writing Day) Some hospitals and hotels avoid numbering rooms with “4” or “42,” which can be read “shi” and “shi-ni,” meaning “death.”
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Visiting the Family Graves ?????The old Japanese folklore belief of worshiping the souls of ancestors was combined with Buddhist belief that Heaven lies due west. People started to visit their family graves, so they say, on the Equinox, when the sun sets due west. This custom exists neither in China or India. At the graveyard, people sweep around the gravestones and wash them. After the cleaning, they offer flowers, incense sticks and food and drinks which their ancestors loved. Each person pours water over the stone, and prays. They say the dead are always feeling thirsty, so the water soothes them.
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Sotsugyoshiki ???The highlight of the graduation ceremony held at a kodo, an auditorium, is “the presentation of certificates.” At elementary schools and middle schools, the class teacher calls the names of graduating students one by one, and each student is handed a diploma on the platform by a headmaster with a brief personal comment. Some big schools and universities rent a public hall. In such a huge ceremony a representative receives all the certificates on behalf of his or her classmates. Caps and gowns like those seen in the West are rare in Japan. College graduates wear suits, though many girls still wear kimono and solid colored hakama, which makes the outfit formal.
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Tenkin ??Transfer season causes a fuss among some families. Because of several reasons such as their children’s education situation or care of elderly parents, some fathers today are forced to do “tanshin-funin” – to go to new post alone apart from the family. House-moving is a big business in Japan today, and companies offer the a variety of services to answer many different needs of such customers. The “rent-all system” – renting furniture, electrical goods and daily essentials in a package deal is one service offered for these “bachelor fathers.”
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