Akiba Shrine fire-crossing (Hiwatari)
(I'm no longer in Japan but will continue to post Japanese photos for a while yet)
This week's Saturday Flashback recalls the 1869 Great Fire of Akibahara, from where this small temple was relocated to make way for a subway line. I can't find much information on this fire-crossing event. In fact, without enlisting the help of a trusty local youth and his iPhone, this Tokyo shrine would never have been found as it is hidden away off the normal geijin / foreigner path and there were indeed hardly any geijin amongst the small local crowd.. However, I do know the ceremony is held once a year and is basically to commemorate the Great Fire and presumably give wishes for good health and safety from any such future event. Monks start by spending quite a lot of time chanting prayers and building the fire. Once hot, a path is cleared betwen two rows of blazing charcoal. The monks are first to "fire-cross" followed by assorted local dignitaries such as shown here, followed by local residents, followed by - yes, you guessed it! At that point I made my excuses with a very deep bow and rapidly left. Call me a wimp!
(PS : Akibahara is now Akihabara, Electronics Town, after an administrative spelling mistake changed its name many decades ago. Meanwhile, locals still refer to it as Akiba!)
Akiba Shrine fire-crossing (Hiwatari)
(I'm no longer in Japan but will continue to post Japanese photos for a while yet)
This week's Saturday Flashback recalls the 1869 Great Fire of Akibahara, from where this small temple was relocated to make way for a subway line. I can't find much information on this fire-crossing event. In fact, without enlisting the help of a trusty local youth and his iPhone, this Tokyo shrine would never have been found as it is hidden away off the normal geijin / foreigner path and there were indeed hardly any geijin amongst the small local crowd.. However, I do know the ceremony is held once a year and is basically to commemorate the Great Fire and presumably give wishes for good health and safety from any such future event. Monks start by spending quite a lot of time chanting prayers and building the fire. Once hot, a path is cleared betwen two rows of blazing charcoal. The monks are first to "fire-cross" followed by assorted local dignitaries such as shown here, followed by local residents, followed by - yes, you guessed it! At that point I made my excuses with a very deep bow and rapidly left. Call me a wimp!
(PS : Akibahara is now Akihabara, Electronics Town, after an administrative spelling mistake changed its name many decades ago. Meanwhile, locals still refer to it as Akiba!)