Quem Matsuri?
The matsuri are at the origin of the ceremonies in honor of the Shinto deities. They take place throughout the year across the Archipelago and are of great importance. Nowadays, the word matsuri can refer to any holiday. Whatever the origin or the theme of these festivals, they constitute for travelers a plunge into the centuries-old traditions of Japan and shake up stereotypes: Japanese parading in half-naked, men and women huddled together to wear the " divine palanquins ", jubilant crowds… We are far from the image of reserved and shy Japanese people…
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Towards the end of the second day before our return ferry to the mainland, I stumbled on a secluded beach behind a small rustic neighbourhood, empty but for a makeshift old bench occupied by an elderly grandmother, well into her 80s with beside her. She was singing sweetly a traditional folk song to the young girl, and accompanied by the serene lull of the waves, and the orange hue of the lowering sunset, the scene was beautiful.
It is a celebration song that is so important to me now that I could call it my second debut song. It was the last song I started working on for this album, so I was able to complete it with vigor like “I’d put everything that I’ve gotten and all the words I’d like to say. I hope someone will play this song at my funeral.
Located north of the main island of the Japanese archipelago, the northern part of Honshu known as Tohoku has its own cultural identity and traditions passed down from generations for years.
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Yatai (the other form) -another core staple of traditional Matsuri are mobile food stalls or carts, where merchants offer snacks, drinks and entertainment for children.
Mikoshi dago: this is one or more bumps from which some mikoshi carriers, the most seasoned and the most fervent, suffer! Despite the pain caused by these inflammations, they are very proud of it because it proves their dedication.
To discover the main festivals that take place throughout the Japanese year: Events & festivals
Matsuri, this song is like a celebration of good and bad things in life. They are all equal. This song is about accepting and embracing every little thing that happens in our lives as a gift from the universe. I absolutely adore this song so somebody plays this at my funeral. OK ?
Matsuri is the Japanese word for festival, but the term has come to incorporate a broad range of different events, hosted throughout Japan, throughout the year. To understand the evolution of the Japanese festival to the present day, it is helpful to look at these events as three distinct types of celebration; from the traditional, to the transitional, to the modern interpretation. While by no means an exhaustive list, for each of these categories, I’d like to introduce some of the better-known and lesser-known Matsuri which offer a deeper understanding of, and a rare insight into, the traditions and evolving customs of local Japan.
藤井風 (Fujii Kaze) - まつり (Matsuri) (Romanized) Lyrics
Dashi (and Yatai)- These are the main kind of festival float on show at Matsuri, pulled along the parade route with ropes. It is common for participants to sit atop certain Dashi floats, which are sometimes adorned with elegant accoutrements such as lanterns or dolls.
Happi (sometimes called Hanten) : the traditional jacket of mikoshi wearers. It is open at the front and is worn with a belt. The name or coat of arms of the sanctuary or district or city from which the participants come is written on the back. It usually goes with shorts or cotton pants and the set is worn by both men and women. Only those who wear the happi can parade the portable reliquary.
Kakegoe chanting - A group of volunteers carry the Mikoshi on their shoulders, and can typically be heard chanting the phrase Wasshoi while transporting the extremely heavy object. The chant is instantly recognizable, and builds the tension and excitement of the event.
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This sacred ceremony takes place "behind closed doors", inside the sanctuary ( honden ), where the relic of the kami is deposited. Only members of the sanctuary and a few personalities can attend these rituals. Access to the honden is still prohibited to the public.
Guided by a sumptuously dressed Shinto priest who waves his sacred pine branch ( sasaki ) to bless the neighborhood, mikoshi bearers parade through the streets to the sound of traditional Japanese instruments such as the taiko (Japanese drum) or the flute. Sometimes they are accompanied by dancers and are always followed by residents of the neighborhood or anyone wishing to join the procession.
Everything you need to know about matsuri
Mikoshi Shrine - A sacred palanquin, or portable shrine, carried on the participants shoulders to transport the deity of the hosting Shrine to its temporary home during the event.
The shrine of which it is the matsuri is found surrounded by stalls of games and food , the Yatai . The most popular dishes are takoyaki (octopus balls), kara-age (fried chicken), yakisoba (stir-fried noodles), yakitori and kakigôri (crushed ice cream in syrup) and taiyaki (waffles filled with a accompaniement). Children also feast on cotton candy.
The most common form of Matsuri is that of the traditional spiritual ceremony, generally sponsored by a local temple or shrine. Much like this local spiritual institution, the annual town or village Matsuri is a source of bonding and pride for the local townspeople and plays an important role in the community. True to the duality of being both a somber spiritual event and also a celebration, some are quiet and contemplative, others loud and lively, but most traditional Japanese Matsuri typically consist of a number of key elements:
All the themes of the city
The mikoshi bearers are generally divided into three groups : the members of the sanctuary, sometimes dressed in white, a symbol of purity. Ordinary people , in general the inhabitants of the neighborhood, sometimes wearing a yukata and… the yakuza . Yes, these members of the Japanese maffia, usually excluded from Japanese society, are an integral part of these Shinto festivals. This is explained by the fact that those who run the stands during the festival were hawkers placed under the authority of an oyabun (godfather / leader). Some of them could wear the mikoshi. This corporation gradually developed into a maffia and the yakuza did not want to lose the role they had during these festivals. In the parties where they have always participated, they are accepted de facto. We recognize them by their tattoos, which they can proudly show off during the party.
Matsuri is the Japanese word for a festival or celebration . Originally, the word matsuri was a generic name used for all Shinto ceremonies . In Japanese, matsuru means "to honor", "to celebrate the gods". It is therefore a feast to thank or pray to the kami (Shinto deities). Over the centuries, the term matsuri has been extended to all festivals, sometimes to Buddhist festivals but also to events: "Feast of cherry blossoms" "Feast of plum trees" for example. Shops also use this term when there are promotions on a product or exhibitions of regional specialties: "Hokkaido matsuri" "Okinawa matsuri", etc.
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" Dokoï, dokoï ", "Oïssa, oïssa", "Rassera Rassera", "washoï, washoï" or "Yattosa Yatto Yatto," (non-exhaustive list!) Are various terms chanted by mikoshi wearers to give themselves courage and put more atmosphere. The harder the test, the more the songs rise in crescendo.
The parade of mikoshi and / or floats passes through the streets of the city to ask the deities to bring their blessing to the inhabitants but also to entertain them and show them their neighborhood. This is why the "divine palanquins" are, during the procession, sometimes strongly agitated from top to bottom and from left to right: we want to amuse the gods and show them the fervor of their faithful.