F E S T I V A L ／ FEST-221
Nagata Shrine Koshiki Tsuinashiki (Ancient Demon-Expelling Rite)
長田神社 古式追儺式ながたじんじゃ こしきついなしき
Held at Nagata Shrine in Kobe on Setsubun (the eve of spring, early February), this rite is said to have continued in something close to its present form since the Muromachi period. Where most tsuina ceremonies aim to drive demons away, Nagata's inverts the script: seven oni — Ichiban-taro-oni, Aka-oni (Red Demon), Ao-oni (Blue Demon), Uba-oni, Hosuke-oni, Mochiwari-oni and Shirikujiri-oni — appear as messengers of the gods ("benevolent demons") who purify the people's misfortune on the deities' behalf. Brandishing blazing torches and swords, the demons leap and dance violently across the stage and precincts, praying for a year of good health and family safety. The demon masks and the full set of ritual implements were designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hyogo Prefecture in 1970. By long tradition, worshippers bathe in the ash of the torches to receive purification and hang the burnt remnants at their doorways to ward off calamity and invite good fortune.
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01An inversion of the usual rite: rather than expelling demons, seven oni act as benevolent agents who purify misfortune on behalf of the gods
- 02The spectacle of fire and motion as the demons leap and dance wielding flaming torches and swords
- 03A participatory form in which worshippers bathe in torch ash for purification and carry home the charred remnants
D E E P D I V E