Aofushigaki Shinji ( Blue brushwood fence ritual)
January 22, 2015Origin of the ritual
Aofushigaki Shinji is a ritual held at Miho shrine in Miho-Sekimachi on April 7th every year.
The ritual re-acts the mythology of "Kuniyuzuri" (transfer of the land of Izumo). The mythology says Kotoshironushi-no-mikoto (or Ebisu, known as one of seven Gods of fortune) who is the deity of Miho shrine, advised his father, Okuninushi-no-mikoto(or Daikoku, also one of the seven Gods), that he should transfer the land of Izumo to the descendant of the sun goddess.
After advising his father, Kotoshiro-no-mikoto made a blue brushwood fence (Aofushigaki) in the sea, and hid himself behind it. (In ancient Japanese language,to hide means to die).
Let’s see how the Aofushigaki Shinji ( Blue brushwood fence ritual) proceeds in more detail, from its preparation through the fights to the end.
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Aofushigaki Shinji ( Blue brushwood fence ritual)