Traditional divine wedding ceremony

I went to Turugaoka Hachimangu, the largest and most famous shrine in Kamakura.
It was founded when the capital of Japan was in Kamakura over 1000 years ago.
There is a big red gate called torii, and this is the beginning.
Gatekeepers, fictional animals, sit and guard on both sides.


The road from here to the main hall is called Dankazura.


I saw a couple of weddings on this day as it was a auspicious day.
The wedding procession has begun from the road leading to Turugaoka Hachimangu.
The first two people got a wedding, followed by relatives and friends.


There was also a dedicated photographer who took pictures of the wedding.






There is a main hall ahead of this red big Torii.


The lower building is the Maiden, and the upper one is the main building called Honden.
The wedding will be held at Maiden.


It is a place to clean hands and mouth before the worship.


The another wedding had already begun at the red-painted Miden hall.


The bride and the priest and various tools used in the ceremony

People who play Gagaku

The golden pot possessed by the shrine maiden contains divine sake


A pledge of vows


The golden pot possessed by the shrine maiden contains divine sake




Saisi who performs the ceremony and Maiden






People who play Gagaku


The priest wore something like a wooden shoe


The wedding was over without delay and the bride left.


The groom and the bride were smiling with Seiji who went to the ceremony


Groom and bride


congratulations


The main hall is on the top of the stone steps from Maiden.


It is Maiden and Torii that I looked down from the main hall.


Reference : Turugaoka Hatimangu

Children's Day

May 5 is Children's day. Because March 3 is a girl's festival, May 5 is a boy's festival.
Fly the carp streamer and display a doll of helmet and brave Musha.

Of course I haven't it at home, so I went to the nearby KOMINKA Park and photographed it.
The carp streamer was hanging without energy, but imagine the figure of riding in the May breeze and swimming in the sky.
We call KOINOBORI which is the carp streamers on the pool.The carp streamers are made of cloth.

Samurai is an armor worn by warriors to protect their heads.
The symbol of the famous military commander is attached. We call it KABUTO.
These ornaments have a wish that parents want their boys to be healthy and strong.

KOMINKA（Old house）
There were such houses until about 50 years ago in old houses in Japan.
Mostly made of wood, the roof is a roof.

Cherry blossom

Cherry blossoms are exceptional for Japanese.
The long winter is over and the beautiful flower season comes.

This is a shrine where you can see famous OHANAMI in Kamakura.
OHANAMI is having lunch under the cherry blossoms and drinking alcohol.
Kamakura is located about an hour by train from the capital Tokyo.
It was the center of Japanese politics 900 years ago.

Some people visit shrines.
The big TORII is the gate of a shrine.

Wash your hands with water to cleanse.

Then please ask for health and safety at the main hall.