Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Kura-no-Tsuji


Ancient time warehouse (1603-1868), Edo Era period this area use as a stopping point for transporting supplies between the Kansai and Hokuriku. Now, the warehouses are maintained in the district activation program at Takefu, Fukui prefecture in Japan.



Thursday, February 18, 2010

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances.

Mizumi Dengaku and Noh Dances. End of the winter and before the beginning spring season Mizumi, Ikeda villagers wear traditional costume and mask performing nine-dance series. According that nine-dance series, performers wish to happiness and wealth for villager and success their next harvest term. This dance series also one of the entertainment of villagers.

These performances held in "Ukann" shrine locate around the mountain chain and front of the shrine Mizumi River has flow down. Also most part of mountain chain covered by snow and river’s water is freezing. Before starting the performance three performers get down the river and bathing freezing water, who is dressing for god during the nine-dance series.


About 750 years ago, during the Emperor Houjou Tokiyori period people of Mizumi village performed "Dengaku" (rice-plantin) dance to entertain the emperor when who was visit the village. Emperor stays there while the roads were impossible due to a heavy snowfall. In return, Tokiyori taught them how to perform Noh dances.

This was the beginning of the juxtaposition of the dengaku and Noh dance traditions. Since that generation to generation Mizumi Dengaku and Noh dance perform every year 15th February in the Mizumi.





Monday, February 1, 2010

Misogi (禊) and Fundoshi (,ふんどし)

Misogi (禊), Freezing cold-water bathing themselves and cleaning body and soul while winter season festival calling Misogi. Men and women wearing traditional dress of white and attend to freezing cold-water bathing festival and who trust that cold-water make a strength of body and soul.

Freezing cold-water bathing time men wearing traditional dress is so interesting and it’s so similar to Sri Lankan paddy-farmers cultivating time wearing dress Sri Lankan people calling that dress "Amudaya" but Japan’s call that "Fundoshi"(ふんどし). Fundoshi`s Japanese men’s under pan some years ago.