Today, I would love to share about Ogre...
Setsubun is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan.
The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, properly called Risshun celebrated yearly on February 3 as part of the Spring Festival (haru matsuri). In its association with the Lunar New Year, Spring Setsubun can be and was previously thought of as a sort of New Year's Eve, and so was accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come. This special ritual is called mamemaki (literally "bean throwing"). Setsubun has its origins in tsuina, a Chinese custom introduced to Japan in the eighth century.
Our village Tenkawa has many mythology.
One of interesting story are;
*Tenkawa, Yoshino area enjoy talking about ogres as a part of their ancestors.
*Ogres has many positive stories around this regions.
*Ogres are from God's servant.
I research bit about other stories in Japan. Some area welcomes ogres.
In Japan, I might be wrong but Ogre has few different kind and stories goes differently.
But most of all, Ogre is cannibal and symbolic for bad personality.
Also, word of ONI (ogre) means scary, strong, anger spirits, cruel....
I encountered this ceremony that very rare in Japan called "Oni no yado".
It means accommodation for ogre. Please see some photos below.
They are legendary man's associated two ogres. They are absolutely ogre looks and as mythology, they are also legends.
Tenkawa Shrine, Night before ceremony, Priests prepare ogres visits and getting ready for beds, foods and bucket.
Priests brings sacred fire, bucket and short ceremony for welcoming ogre for the night.
Priests get entering this house...
Priest put in sacred water in bucket, This is for ogre to wash their hands and foots to stay in the house.
What this ceremony is house welcome ogre to stay their home which they prepared place to sleep, foods for dinner and bucket for cleaning their foot and hands. next day, priests see the bottom of bucket, There were always sand in the bucket which means Ogre came middle of the night and clean their foot, and we are appreciated that Ogre come to home. It's spiritual being as Ogre left evidence in the bottom of bucket for us. and they told me that every year, they left evidence that they came in this house...
What a interesting mythology is.
Thank you for reading.
