Religious Tradition in Japan - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 23

Fig. 2.6 Sacred Tree Festival 2 (Onbashirasai)

includes four shrines: the Kamisha-Honmiya (Main Shrine), Kamisha-Maemiya
(Old Shrine), Shimosha-Harumiya (Spring Shrine), and Shimosha-Akimiya
(Autumn Shrine). The Kojiki illustrates the process by which Takeminakatano-
mikoto, the main God, was enshrined in Suwa. He was the offspring of the God
Okuninushino-mikoto and was said to have opposed the transfer of the God's king-
dom. Because of this, he was incarcerated at Suwa in Shinano.
The Suwa Taisha was regarded as the greatest shrine in east Japan. Since the
Kamakura Era (1192-1333), the shrine has inspired devotion from not only the locals,
who prayed to the Gods of hunting and agriculture, but also the bushi (warriors) who
prayed to military Gods. The Kamakura bakufu , the Japan's feudal government in the
Kamakura Era, donated land for the shrine, and Takeda Shingen built the shrine hall
and revived ancient religious ceremonies to be performed at the shrine.
The selection of mitate (momi fi r trees) for the Onbashira starts three years before
the festival. Shrine parishioners tow the trees about 25 km from Yatsugatake to
Kamisha and about 10 km from Yashimakogen to Shimosha. The largest tree, which
serves as the primary pillar, is typically 16 m long and weighs three tons. TV broad-
casts have familiarized people to the image of about 2,000-3,000 people dragging
the trees to the accompaniment of a unique log-carrier's song (the process, illustrated
in Figs. 2.6 and 2.7 , is called yamadashi ). Two specifi c crowd-favorite events are the
kawakoshi (crossing the river) of the Kamisha Onbashira and kiotoshi (moving
downhill) of the Shimosha Onbashira. A particularly awe-inspiring sight is of the
parishioners sitting astride the massive tree trunk as it slides down the kiotoshizaka