Spatial Structure of Japanese Religion - Geography of Religion in Japan: Religious Space, Landscape, and Behavior - page 40

The major annual festive events and ceremonies are as follows. The New Year's
Festival ( Gantan-sai ) is a renewal ceremony held at midnight on New Year's Day.
People pray before the God for the prosperity of the Imperial Family, world peace,
disaster prevention, and the prosperity and happiness of Kasama Inari followers.
The Hatsuuma Matsuri is held in February of the old calendar, and involves praying
for a good grain harvest during the year. This festival is related to the agricultural
work that has started around the hatsuuma day since ancient times. On the festival
day, recommended rice seed brands of Ibaraki are distributed free of charge in front
of the shrine. This ceremony involves a belief in agriculture. The Tsuina ceremony
to cleanse devils started during the Nara Period when epidemics raged through sev-
eral provinces, killing many people. The Tsuina ceremony happens at Kasama
Inari. In this festival, a peach bow and reed arrows are used in the ancient style,
twice a day and at night, during a bean scattering event led by a master dressed in a
kamishimo (formal dress of a samurai). The Kinensai (Pray for the Year Festival)
involves praying for a good grain harvest and national security. The Hatsuhoko
Festival is a grand festival held with Kinensai in spring, where representatives of the
religious group, caretakers, and members of Hatsuhoko pray for a good harvest dur-
ing the year. The Niinamesai (Harvest Festival) happens in the autumn.
The Reitaisai (Annual Grand Festival) is one of the most important festivals at
the shrine, and has taken place on April 9 since ancient times. This festival dedicates
incense from a master incense burner, tea from a master of the tea ceremony, fl owers
from each local school, and sake from brewers in Ibaraki. In the Otauesai , the Rice
Planting Festival, rice is planted into a rice fi eld selected by the rice seed God for
the benefi t of believers. The rice is planted by the person in charge of the fi eld; a
saotome (rice-planting girl) is used. Traditional prayers are recited for a good grain
harvest during the year and kagura (sacred dance and music) and bugaku (court
dance music) are performed.
The Kikumatsuri , the Chrysanthemum Festival, is unique to the Kasama Inari
(Fig. 3.3 ). This festival was fi rst celebrated in 1908 to soothe people's minds and
nurture their beliefs. The Farm Land Department of the shrine grows chrysanthe-
mum fl owers that are exhibited on the grounds of the shrine. The Motomiyasai
invites people to a branch of Kasama Inari . The Kosha Taisai used to thank the
representatives of religious groups for their activities by inviting group representa-
tives to the Kasama Inari . These festivals are held every 2 years. The Niinamesai ,
consisting of Kenkoku and Kenkensai , started in 1908 and is dedicated to the fi rst
harvest of rice. Kenkoku and Kenkensai involve dedications in thanks for the distri-
bution of rice seeds from the rice fi eld selected by the God, and prayers for the
development of sericulture using dedicated cocoons. A grain and cocoon fair is also
held on the grounds of the shrine. Monthly festivals are held on the fi rst and fi fteenth
of every month when many believers worship. The day of the horse ( uma no hi )
festival is held every month.
While the style of the belief in the religion varies, the Inari kami (God) is found
everywhere in Japan in a variety of expressions encompassing the Gods of agricul-
ture, commerce, housing, modes, possessions, and others (Naoe 1983 ). Although
beliefs in Kasama Inari vary, believers of Kasama Inari can be generally classifi ed
into three groups.