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sacred forests

Mihishiroki Hōeishiki

At the end of February, Isë Jingū announced the dates for the first large public events of the 63rd Shikinen Sengū, and this was reported in the 10th March issue of Jinja Shinpō. The Mihishiroki Hōeishiki will take place on June 9th at the Inner Sanctuary and June 10th at the Outer Sanctuary. This is the “Honourable Hishiro Tree Pull Offering Ceremony”, and it involves trees being pulled into the precincts of the Inner and Outer Sanctuaries. These are (almost) the most sacred trees in the whole ceremony — the… Read More »Mihishiroki Hōeishiki

Trees and Hair

The other article about trees in the 10th February issue of Jinja Shinpō was by Suzuë, in one of her regular “Thoughts in the Forest” columns. The title is “The sacred mystery of hair”, which is a pun because the Japanese for “hair” is “kami”, and the article is mostly about hair, particularly hers. Apparently, it has a natural wave, which is unusual in Japan, and she used to have a complex about it. She also mentions that Izanagi Jingū, on Awaji Island in Hyōgo Prefecture, has an annual ceremony… Read More »Trees and Hair

Starting with Trees

The 24th February issue of Jinja Shinpō had two front-page articles about the Shikinen Sengū at Isë Jingū, both closely connected with trees. The first announced the determination of the dates for the first two matsuri of the Shikinen Sengū. There are 33 matsuri (on the official count) involved in the Shikinen Sengū, and they take place over the course of eight years. This is why the Shikinen Sengū is not referred to by a year, but by a number — this one is the 63rd. (For accessibility, I am… Read More »Starting with Trees

Tree Surgery

The 10th February issue of Jinja Shinpō had a couple of articles about sacred trees in it. The one I want to write about today was concerned with the practical problems that arise, an issue I have mentioned before. The article was by the chief priest of the jinja concerned, Wakamiya Hachimangū in Yamanashi Prefecture (to the west of Tokyo, up in the mountains). This jinja is some distance from the local village, up a flight of 70 stone steps, with a flat area of about 350 square metres where… Read More »Tree Surgery

Felling Purification

One of the regular columnists in the “Thoughts in the Forest” section of Jinja Shinpō is Kanzaki Noritakë, a scholar of traditional culture and chief priest of a jinja in Okayama Prefecture, western Japan. In the September 30th issue, he wrote about a ceremony he was asked to perform before the felling of a tree. The tree in question was a massive cedar, growing beside the steps up to a local jinja, and beside the community hall. It had become old, with its interior hollowed out, and branches dropping off.… Read More »Felling Purification

Living Things at Jingū

The Jingū column in the July 8th issue of Jinja Shinpō was about living creatures at Jingū. There are about 2,800 kinds of animals, and about 140 birds, including mammals such as boars, raccoon dogs, and rabbits, birds such as kingfishers and owls, and river creatures such as catfish and frogs. There are also lots of insects and other bugs. Do you notice anything missing from this list? That’s right! Trees! The article does go on to discuss the importance of preserving the forest in order to provide the habitat… Read More »Living Things at Jingū