Calendar
Detailed information is supplied for the rites in blue.
September
- 14th
- Hamaori-shiki (Purification at the Coast ) 浜降式
5am
Before starting the Annual Ritual, all priests go to the sea, and have a purification ritual in the sea. They then bring seaweed to the shrine as proof of purification. This seaweed is hung on all the gates in the shrine.
- 14th
- Yoimiya-sai (Evening Ceremony) 宵宮祭
6pm
6pm Evening ceremony for Annual Ritual宵宮祭
It is a ceremony to announce that the annual grand ritual is coming tomorrow. - 15th
- Reitai-sai (Main Annual Rite) 例大祭
10am
14th – 16th September Reitaisai 例大祭 (Main Annual Rites)
The Annual Ritual of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu lasts three days from 14th September to 16th September. The Main Annual Rite is the most important for the shrine, so various rituals and events are held during this period.
The Azuma kagami records the scene of the first Annual Ritual of this shrine held on 15th August 1187.
15th September 10am Reitaisai例大祭(Main Annual Rite)
Emissaries from the National Association of Shrines (神社本庁, Jinja Honcho) bring offerings. This ritual is conducted by the chief priest, and priests, shrine maidens, and 8 local girls also participate. - 15th
- Shinko-sai (Progresses) 神幸祭
1pm
This is a parade accompanying three portable shrines, priests, horses, musicians, and so on. The length of the parade is a couple of hundreds meters. At the second Torii, the dance called Yaotomeno-mai is dedicated by 8 girls. - 16th
- Yabusame-shinji (Yabusame) 流鏑馬神事
1pm
Yabusame was originated in middle of 6th century as a Shinto ritual. Today there are various styles and manners of Yabusame inherited by different shrines and particular families. It was common in the ancient past that the result of Yabusame depended on the number of targets successfully hit, and also fragments of the target were used to tell fortunes. The target and arrows used in successful shots were kept as amulets.
The initiation of Yabusame in Tsurugaoka Hachimangu was 1186. Minamoto Yoritomo studied the manner of this ancient rite and made his warriors acquire the etiquette and skills necessary for Yabusame. Yabusame was performed for Hachiman kami as an offering. The Azuma kagami records that all the archers perfectly struck all targets in the first Yabusame at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu. It is quite understandable that it was the proudest thing in the life of every Kamakura warrior to be selected as an archer of Yabusame.※Kami (the Japanese word for Shinto deities or sacred beings)
- 16th
- Suzumushi-Hojosai (Releasing Bell Crickets) 鈴虫放生祭
5pm
This is a ritual of releasing bell crickets dedicated to kami during the Main Annual Rites. We have been serving the ritual since 2004 in order to recognize the preciousness of life and the seasons’ passing. After the dedication of music and dance by Shinto priests and maidens, they release bell crickets in the precinct.
※Kami (the Japanese word for Shinto deities or sacred beings)
- 23rd
- Soreisha-shuki-reisai (Ancestral Shrine Autumn Ceremony) 祖霊社秋季例祭