All about the Mikoshi, the main character of the traditional festival

Today, I’d like to talk about “mikoshi ” that is the main character of the traditional festival held at a shrine. Mikoshi is a portable shrine, to put it another way. Mikoshi is considered as a vehicle used to temporarily transport the deities enshrined at shrines.

Most importantly, it is believed that Mikoshi provides an opportunity for the deities to descend among the people and interact directly with them. During the festival, the deities reside in the mikoshi, making their presence felt close to the people. 

Now, the wooden architecture in the back is the storage house for mikoshi.　Since it's before the beginning of the festival, there are scarcely no people in the precincts of the shrine. The main shrine is located at the back of this building.

These are the mikoshi enshrined in the storage house.　Three units of mikoshi are glittering in golden colors.

At 10 am, participants wearing costumes have started to parade in a single line from the torii to the shrine, with a special long sword swinging (in fact, decorative swords).  (sorry, the photo is omitted)　By the way, a torii is a traditional gateway made from stones standing at the approach to the shrine. 

The dancing line going ahead is followed by the group of traditional  musical  accompaniments shown in the photo. Turn right about 100m ahead from the torii and go forward further 100m, we will reach the shrine. 

After arrival of the musical accompaniments at the shrine, young and adult wearing costumes for the festival are starting to play traditional musical instruments again in order to summon the deities to the mikoshi.

After the ritual, participants carried mikoshi out of the storage house. 

Participants are carrying the mikoshi and parade in the precincts of the shrine. A small model torii is attached to the mikoshi,  if carefully watched. 

Participants are shouting in order to boost the festive mood.

After parading within the shrine, they are going out of the shrine through the torii.

By the way, there is a small mikoshi in this shrine. I think this mikoshi could be carried by children. The one seen in the back is an ordinary mikoshi.

 

I took all the photos in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture on May 5th.