Hatsuuma festival decorations at Fukagawa Edo Museum

Inari shrine

In Edo period, on the hatsuuma (fisrt horse) day in February, people celebrated Hatsuuma festival, praying for good harvest of the year. From that day people began to work in the fields.

They made offerings at a inari shrine, which is the kami (deity) of good harvest. The naming of inari comes from 'nari' (good harvest) of ine (rice.) It is the custom for children to go around the houses nearby, beating small drums, and get sweets or sekihan (auspicious white rice with red beans) from them.


You can see Hatsuuma festival decorations　at Fukagawa Edo Museum, where red banners around the inari shrine are put up and sekihan and aburaage (deep-fried soybean curd) are offered.

You can also see some 15 jikuchi chochin (pun lantern) on which some play on words are written. For example, one of them have a picture of a man in a mortar and attached words, 'usu kara deta otoko', which means 'a man came out of a mortar.' It is a parody of a proverb, 'uso kara deta makoto,' meaning 'something meaning joke (uso) has come true (makoto).' 

Why won't you visit the Museum and enjoy other jikuchi chochin?

The Hatsuuma festival decorations will be shown until February 11.

Fukagawa Edo Museum ↓
http://www.kcf.or.jp/fukagawa/english.html

by H.N.

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