The Mikoshi Mystery? Or perhaps Japanese Halloween?

As we eagerly await our first visitor (Yayyyy for Uncle Scott - he arrives tonight!), I am motivated to write about some recent adventures, to make time and space in the near future to write about our Uncle Scott adventures.  Of course, Scott thinks he's getting the "insider" tour, but little does he know that we're taking this opportunity to do things that we have wanted to do, but haven't gotten around to yet. Hopefully, he'll forgive us.

Over a month ago, a friend invited us to go "do mikoshi" with them.  This friend speaks English very well, and so I asked several questions about what it is, what you do, and why.  The only answers I got were "portable shrine" and "lots of really good snacks" and "fun for the kids."  But, as it turns out, we were out of town that weekend and couldn't go.  Alas...

So, a few weeks later, a different friend invited us to go to "mikoshi" with them.  At this point, I also learn that we have to wear a certain kind of "happi coat" that the shrine will loan to us, and that there is one day for a children's mikoshi and one day for an adult mikoshi.  And get this - the "good snacks" for the adult mikoshi include sake and beer.  OK - portable shrine, good snacks, beer and sake, free, and a happi coat.  I'm starting to understand.  Sounds like a good way to spend an afternoon to me.  We're in.

We meet up with our friends for the kids' mikoshi first.

Now, that we're in the thick of things, I ask again, what does this portable shrine symbolize?  What is the meaning of this event?

"Ummmm .... I don't really know.  We just do it every year," answers my friend.

Light bulb goes off - so this is like the Japanese version of Halloween.  I think you'd be hard pressed to find an American (myself included) who can explain the meaning and symbolism behind Halloween - other than we dress up, we get good snacks, and we do it every year.  As different as things are, the more they are still the same.

An un-happi Ryan...

So, the kids get their happi coats on and are looking pretty darn cute.  Unfortunately, the "happi" took a while to rub off on Ryan, as he was in a foul mood at the beginning.

The kids carry the shrine through the streets.  There is some chanting that goes along with it, but I didn't really catch it all.

It's actually pretty heavy and not as easy as you might think.  Soooo .... to provide sustenance, they have their first rest stop for snacks: bananas and ooo-la-la, ice cream.  And fried shrimp, kara age (fried chicken), fried quail eggs (at least I think that's what they were), some fried tempura cheese things, juice... this sure beats the boring Halloween dum-dums we get at home while trick-or-treating.  The kids were in heaven (ok, we were in pretty high spirits as well).

Another rest stop or two for more snacks, and the "mikoshi" (みこし - portable shrine) was safely delivered to its starting point!

The adult mikoshi for this same community shrine was supposed to be the next day, but unfortunately, Ethan was sick (and it was very cold and rainy - we are fair weather mikoshi people, I guess), so we couldn't go.

But never fear, 2 weeks later, there was yet another mikoshi at a different shrine and we got to go to the adult version for that one with our same friends.  It seems that there some true mikoshi aficionados out there, as we talked to one old guy who told us that he loved mikoshi so much that he goes to a different one every weekend during "mikoshi season."

We got our groove on with our happi coats and our friends, and we were ready for the festivities to begin.

Here goes nothing.... Kevin and I are enthusiastically encouraged to join in right from the start, despite the fact that we have NO idea how this really works.  And there is clearly a system to it, and it was a system that we did not know - evidenced by the fact that I was out of rhythm, someone behind me stepped on my sandal, and it completely broke.  I sheepishly ducked out of the mikoshi as there was no way to carry a portable shrine -  via a 4x4 piece of lumber - balanced on my shoulder - with a flapping shoe.  But, my friend, Hana's mom came to the rescue and brought me a new pair of sandals to wear.  Kindness prevails, as apparently nothing gets in the way of mikoshi!

Oh, and I forgot the best part.  The Mikoshi Leader - think high school drum major, taking his job very seriously, wearing a sumo diaper and samurai headband, with a deep love for his whistle.  And thankfully, a very welcoming smile.  There was a cadence to it all, set by the diaper guy's whistle, complete with a chant and heave-ho type movement.  It took me a while to get the hang of it.... They made me go in the very front a few times, and that was soooo hard as I couldn't keep from giggling every time the Mikoshi Leader looked at me.

So, you join in carrying the shrine for as long as you want, and when you need a break, you simply step out and someone else steps in your place.  I can't remember all the snacks (thanks to the liquid snacks, I'm thinking), but I know there was a huge box of raw oysters passed around at some point.  And we ended up at a (non-portable) shrine, where there was a large festival taking place - and much, much sake being handed to us.  Also managed to eat some yakisoba and yakitori at that point, I think.  And there was quite a sushi spread at the end.  Did I mention this was all free?  Not really sure how this all works out....

By the time we were headed back to the "community home" of the mikoshi, it was dark.  With the mikoshi illuminated, it made for a rather magical feel to it all.

I did a little research to try and find out a little more about the meaning behind mikoshi.  Here is the scoop, according to Wikipedia:

A mikoshi (神輿 or 御輿^?) is a divine palanquin (often improperly translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine. Often, the mikoshi resembles a miniature building, with pillars, walls, a roof, a veranda and a railing.  Typical shapes are rectangles, hexagons, and octagons. The body, which stands on two or four poles (for carrying), is usually lavishly decorated, and the roof might hold a carving of a phoenix.  During a matsuri (Japanese festival) involving a mikoshi, people bear the mikoshi on their shoulders by means of two, four (or sometimes, rarely, six) poles. They bring the mikoshi from the shrine, carry it around the neighborhoods that worship at the shrine, and in many cases leave it in a designated area, resting on blocks called uma (horse), for a time before returning it to the shrine. Some shrines have the custom of dipping the mikoshi in the water of a nearby lake, river or ocean (this practice is called o-hamaori). At some festivals, the people who bear the mikoshi wave it wildly from side to side to "amuse" the deity (kami) inside.

And Kevin and I definitely need to practice before next year, because we both had bruised shoulders for a week.  There's nothing like a 1,000 pound (I'm guessing here) shrine whacking you on the shoulder with every step...

Enjoy the pictures (and short video)!

Starting out strong...

The Mikoshi Drum Major hard at work - I was living in fear that the
kids would make some inappropriate comment about the bare
bottom, but they held it  together...

The blessing at the shrine before heading back...

Nighttime Mikoshi