Creation: Ritual of Spirit Possession
This article is totally not about Japanese religious events but about the creation of new rituals. This year I got the luck to teach a...
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Akiko
Nov 27, 20212 min read
Song of a fox: sumarī pūkosan
The tonkori is a string instrument of Ainu. Here, you can listen to the performance of Shirakawa Yaeko, an Ainu woman playing a piece...
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Akiko
Sep 11, 20211 min read
Mysterious Priest and Her Talismans
So many traditional customs had been still practiced in my childhood. My grandmother knew the meanings of plants, and people had minded...
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Akiko
Apr 10, 20212 min read
Procession by men dressed as women
A book entitled Tensai kara Nihonshi wo Yominaosu, Rereading Japanese history through natural disasters, written by Dr. Isoda Michifumi,...
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Akiko
Feb 6, 20211 min read
Lion Dance of Shirano in Yamanashi 2
The Lion dance is one of popular performing arts in westside of Yamanashi prefecture. In this post, I will introduce musical instruments...
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Akiko
Jan 24, 20211 min read
Lion Dance of Shirano in Yamanashi 1
Every first Saturday of August, the festival named Kagaribi matsuri is held in Otsuki city in Yamanashi. This festival is an event held...
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Akiko
Sep 13, 20201 min read
Ainu Musical Instrument 2: Tonkori
The Ainu is one of the minorities of Japan, living in the northern part of Japan. Now they are principally living in Hokkaido, but also...
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Akiko
Sep 6, 20201 min read
Ainu Musical Instrument: Mukkuri
The mukkuri is a jew harp, which is a traditional Ainu musical instrument. It is generally practiced by females. It is made of bamboo,...
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Akiko
Jul 21, 20202 min read
Dondon-yaki : New Year's bonfire
In 2018, I got an occasion to visit Dondo-yaki festival at small village in Yamanashi prefecture. There are series of New Year's rites...
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Akiko
Jul 6, 20202 min read
Iconography of kagura performance at Ise 1
Here, a picture of Ise Daidai-kagura no zu , picture of Daidai-kagura being the possession of Ise-jingū shrine. This picture is from the...
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Akiko
Jun 26, 20202 min read
Amor Tatenashi at Kanda-Ten-jinja shrine
This image is from site of Nespaper Yamanashi Nichinichi shinbun. The Amor nicknamed Tate nashi no yoroi, litteraly amor "no need a...
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Akiko
Jun 20, 20203 min read
A Brief Introduction to Buddhist Instruments
Buddhist monk and also band player, Eishin Watanabe plays Bub Marley's Three Little Birds with Buddhist instruments (and guitar). I found...
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Akiko
Jun 19, 20203 min read
Atsumori : 50 years in human world
Kōwakamai is a genre of medieval theatre (danse). Although it is less known, the text "jinkan gojūnen geten no uchi wo kurabureba" is...
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Akiko
Jun 17, 20202 min read
Tingsha becomes kane : Why Buddhist instrument is in Shintō dance
This article is only for my notice. I'm afraid that this article is totally for personal remark. But I've never read that someone relate...
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Akiko
Jun 15, 20201 min read
Ikutama matsuri canceled
Ikutama matsuri is one of three biggest summer festival in Osaka. It is annual summer festival of Ikukunitama jinja shrine and is held...
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Akiko
Jun 3, 20201 min read
Ainu as political issue
Today I found a news that an individual in Shenzhen, China filed registration of trademark of the word "Ainu" to Japan's Patent office....
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Akiko
Jun 2, 20203 min read
Bishamon Daiko Drum Ensemble
My hometown is very small with less 1000 inhabitants. The town is divided in 6 areas. Two of them, including the one where my family is...
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Akiko
May 4, 20201 min read
Japanese-Portuguese dictionary by Jesuit missionary
I found this by chance while looking for Historia de Iapam. This is Arte da Lingoa de Iapam, Japanese-Portuguese dictionary edited by...
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Akiko
Apr 26, 20201 min read
#Amabiechallenge
Amabie is merman-like creature with three legs. It is one of yokai, popularised supernatural spirits in Japanese folklore. Its oldest...
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Akiko
Mar 17, 20202 min read
Holy chickens - Sugisawa Hiyama
I've been working for Sugisawa Hiyama, one of Bangaku (kagura) in Yamagata, North-West Japan. Its most mysterious piece among its...
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