yuuco's tekuteku diary

The days are getting shorter, the wind is getting chiller, I can't help feeling Autumn's arrival. We have lots of festivals in autumn to thank god for the harvest and our lives in peace. We entertain the god which enshrined in the shrine by showing lion dance with traditional music. Kozai, the place I had lived when I was little has a shrine which is famous for lots of lion dances at the festival. Usahachiman shrine is located at the center of the town, not so big but the air there is sacred, awesome and definitely different from others'. In the day time, birds and insects are always singing there though yet surrounded by a great calmness.





So many lions show up and dance wildly.









Lion mask! It's said that they drive away the ill luck of the year.





Kozai is located by the sea and a town of fishermen. So they also use big ship to bring the god. This is once-yearly 'God's walk'.





'祭', means 'festival'.





This festival is held on the first Saturday and Sunday of October everyear (3th and 4th October this year). Many stands will also be set up so you can enjoy this event in the daytime, too though I strongly recommend visiting here at night. A numbers of lanterns are floating in the dark, beats of drums and gongs are ringing, wild dances of lions... such an extraordinary mood! it will not be able to be judged if it's a dream or reality. It's really a mysterious world.

Torii-gate made of stone. Very big!