Festival  [Matsuri]

    In Japan, there are countless local festivals because almost every Shrine has its own

one.  Most Festivals are held on an annual basis and celebrate events like the coming of

the farming season, the harvest, or they commemorate historical events.

    A very important element of Shrine festivals is a procession during which the Kamei

("Shinto gods") are carried around in mikoshi(palanquins) by people in special

dresses.

"The Origin of Festivals"

   "Matsuri" is a noun, derived from a verb, "Matsu" meaning "to wait" or "to invite" or in a

wider sense "to be submissive." In such a feeling of worship and esteem something

superhuman is waited for and invited. More characteristically in Shintoism in Japan,

spirits of the deceased are worshiped to seek lessons and requests from ancestors, which

are to regulate one's conducts and to be handed down to descendants. To express such

worship and to gain understanding between the worshiped and the worshiper "matsuris"

are performed.

   There are certain prerequisites to a "master" as originally observed. The worshiped

would request a pure and clean site to be invited to and a proper sign to indicate its

location. It must be in darkness for the worshiped to sit on the prepared seat of

"matsuri." The worshiper on the other hand should have such a pure and clean site of

"matsuri" prepared and fresh food ready to be offered to the worshiped. For presiding a

"matsuri" the worshiper must condition himself by observing  a taboo, purifying himself

by bathing in water and concentrating himself in spirit. Such preparation for a "matsuri"

takes longer in time, as the "spiritual rank" of the one worshiped is higher. Those high in

ranking are called "kami" or deity goods.

  During the course of a "matsuri" a dance may be performed as a means of spiritual

concentration for the worship. The prayer to the worshiped is a practice seen in the loss

of power or techniques to receive words from "kami." As suggested by the sharing of

the offering after the "matsuri" is to place the worshipers as close in spiritual ranking

with the worshiped as possible.

                    Matsuri Today

     Having lost the religious significance, "matsuri" today are enjoyed by participants and

onlookers more for what used to be only additive to their essential meaning. Some of 

them provide shrine proteges with opportunities for recreation and amusement and some

others demonstrate scenes of interest in the name of tradition.  It is intended now to 

describe some of the things you may, as onlookers, come to see in "matsuri." The

foregoing information of the historical backgrounds of the "matsuri" festival in Japan is

hoped to be for your better appreciation of "matsuri" scenes.