Jidai Matsuri- Parade and History All in One

So today was my Japanese Writing midterm. I feel pretty good about it.

My lunch, two onigiri, rice balls and a ginger ale.

Engrish I pass every time on my way to Hirakata-shi station. I'm still trying to get a picture of "Nose Ride" Hawaiian Cafe, which is across the street. I always seem to miss it.

So I went with Alex to Demachiyanagi, Kyoto, to see this parade she kept talking about. It's called Jidai Matsuri, or "Festival of Ages." It is at the Heian Jingu Shrine.

We kinda got lost. She had a map, but it was not to scale. If it had been of the USA, something tells me it would have said something like "heading north, take a left at Oklahoma and California is straight ahead..."

Crowd of people? Yes! We found it at last.

We were right behind the announcer booth. Alex's Host Mom gave her a booklet about this festival. It says:

"Kyoto was the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868 A. D. and mirrored many changes in various ages that took place during more than ten centuries. It is no exaggeration to say that if one traces back the history of Kyoto, one will penetrate into the heart of the real old Japan and can clearly make out the complete course of Japanese history and culture.

You will find the main feature of Jidai Matsuri in the unique procession, consisting of more than 2,000 participants, who are clad in costumes representing the important historical epochs during which Kyoto was the capital of Japan.

In 1895, Kyoto City celebrated the 1,100th aniversary of the founding of the captital "Heian-Kyo" in this area. Heian Jingu Shrine was then founded in memory of this event, modeled after the administration hall of the Imperial Palace built in 794. It was constructed on a reduced scale of five-eights of the original. The shrine is dedicated to two emperors. One is Emperor Kanmu, who transfered the capital from Nagaoka (south-west suburb of present Kyoto) to Kyoto; the other is Emperor Komei, who was the last ruler in Kyoto. Since then Jidai Matsuri has been observed annually on October 22nd as the memorial day of the transfer of the capital to Kyoto."

We missed the first era which was the Meiji Restoration. The procession is backwards in time, starting from most recent to ancient times. The picture in the book shows Japanese soldiers dressed in uniforms much alike the US civil war. You can probably watch The Last Samurai and get a feel for the clothes since we missed em. We came in around the Edo period which was 1615-1866.

"The Shogun Tokugawa's deputy pays a courtesy call to the Emperor." Acorrding to the booklet, "the Shogun Tokugawa used to visit the Emperor in Kyoto from Edo (ancient Tokyo) on the occasions of such important Imperial functions as the New Years ceremonies, coronation, etc."

Footmen who carry spears and traveling boxes toss them from one carrier to another while marching..

Traveling box and archers.

Then there was a commotion in the crowd.

An ambulance tried to cross the parade.

They had them go around.

They let people cross the street at the crosswalks every so often. Very pushy police officers kept the crowds back and told them when to cross.

I wasn't the only one who thought they were pushy...

"Kazuno-Miya (Princess Kazu) the younger sister of the Emperor Komei ruled in Kyoto, married Tokugawa lemochi for political reasons. He was the 14th Shogun and his wife was 16 years old."

Madam Kuranosuke Nakamura, "wife of a wealthy merchant, she participated in the costume contests used to be held among the ladies in the Genroku Era. (the late 18th century)"

Madam Kaji and little Gyokuran. (Well mostly Gyokuran) Kaji is a famous poetess. Gyokuran is her "grandaughter who married Ikeno Taiga who was one of the greatest painters in the Tokugawa Period. Gyokuran was also a great painter and asisted her husband."

Izumo-noOkuni is another figure from this period. "In her youth she served as a madien in Izumo Jinja Shrine and performed a sacred dance. After growing up, she came to Kyoto and soon became noted for her pretty dance and dramatic performances among the people. Kabuki drama, beloved by the public, has it's origin in her dancing."

Then we pass into the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1614).

"After many local lords had fought one another, with great desires to conquer the whole country, Toyotomi Hideyoshi brought the whole country under a single authority."

"This group of the procession represents the most brilliant scene of the son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. On the occasion of the celebration of his attaining manhood, he paid a visit to the emperor with many subordinates."

"Kyoto was nearly completely destroyed by the Odin war, lasting 10 years, the Emperor ordered Lord Oda Nobunaga, who was considered to be the most powerful feudal lord in those days, to assist in the reconstruction of the city. At this request, he came to Kyoto from Aichi Prefecture where his territory was and repaired the ruined Imperial Palace, bringing peace to the citizens."

Next is the Muromachi Period (1393-1572).

"When the exiled Emperor Godaigo was returning to Kyoto, General Commander Kusunoki, who devoted himself to bringing victory to the Emperor, went to Hyogo (Near Kobe) to welcome the Emperor. This represents his victorious procession to Kyoto."

"Women in Ohara, situated in the northeast suburb of Kyoto, put on very particular costumes handed down from the 12th century. They come up to the city to sell bundles of firewood and flowers on their head."

Not part of parade, woman walking by...

"Women in Katsura, situated in the west outskirts of Kyoto, wrapped their hair with a cloth. Women called Katsura-me used to go around the city to sell fish and vegetables."

Lady Yado-Gimi, wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, "marches in her gorgeous robe of the Momoyama Period." That period is called the Japanese Renaissance.

I think this is Madam Fujiwara Tameie. All the book says about her is that " lawsuits used to take a very long time in the Kamakura Period. Madam Fujiwara had to travel for her trial from Kyoto to Kamakura where the government was located. You can see her wearing a traveling dress in this procession." According to Wikipedia, she was a poet and compiler of Imperial anthologies of poems. She had three sons who all became famous poets. I can't find anything about a trial though...

???

Shizuka-Gozen (Lady Shizuka) "whom Minamoto Yoshitsune loved very much was a tragic heroine. She was a Shirabyoshi, girl dancer wearing a white male robe with a sword."

Then we move into the Kamakura Period (1192- 1333).

"Yabusame is a shooting contest of mounted archers, held since the Heian Period. As Ex-emperor Gotoba attempted to regain sovereignty from the Kamakura military government, he gathered wariors from neighboring provinces on the pretense of training them for this contest. This group of the procession are in hunting clothes and carry quivers on their backs. Their feet are covered with deer skin."

Next in the procession of the court nobles. "After the middle of the Heian Period, the Fujiwara family practically monopolized all the high official positions of the government. They enjoyed this prosperity and a refined life."

Tomoe-Gozen! (Lady Tomoe)

"General Kiso Yoshinaka was her husband and he was attacked by Yoshitsune's forces. She fought with her husband by wearing men's armor. Her name will forever remain as the symbol of a gallant woman of Japanese history."

"Yokobue who served in the court, fell in love with Takiguchi no Tokiyoshi. He was a warrior in the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, this love was not welcomed by their families. At last, her lover became a preist and gave up all hope in the world and lived in seclusion. Yokobue is going to see her lover in this procession."

Tokiwa-Gozen (Lady Tokiwa) "In a fierce struggle between the Genji and the Heike, her husband, the Genji general was killed. She had to apear at the enemy's headquarters, taking her little sons with her. She had to hold the youngest one to her bosom. When these sons grew up, they destroyed the Heike regime."

Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon (red and green) are on this float. "Murasaki Shikibu was the author of 'Genji Motogatari' in which she described court life of the Fujiwara Period, putting emphasis on love affairs. The novel is said to be one of the greatest romantic ones in the world. It is written in the beginning of the 11th century. Sei Shonagon was the author of 'Makura no Soshi.' This collection of essays criticized the way of life, court nobles enjoyed, with sharp irony."

Ono no Komachi was a poetess "extremely popular among the court nobles for her beauty and intelligence. Even now, the expression, 'as pretty as Ono-no-Komachi' is often used when we describe an extremely beautiful lady."

Wake no Hiromushi "rescued and took care of 83 orphans. This was the origin of the orphanage in Japan."

And we're into the Enryaku Period (782-806)

I believe this is General Sakanoue Tamuramaro, who "subdued rebels in Oshu (the northern part of Honshu.) This procession depicts his triumphant return."

Then there was the procession of court nobles.

"This procession represents greetings of court nobles to his Imperial Majesty. According to their official ranks, they wear robes of different colors."

"Shinto ritual musicians of gagaku, children with wings of the butterfly and the karyo-binga (an imaginary bird) march, followed by parishioners in old fashioned clothes."

Is it bad that this long drum/gong with flute players in front reminded me of something I've seen in Dr. Seuss...?

This one guy in back cracked me up. He was day dreaming...

He ran to catch up. That so would have been me...

The Shinko-retsu (Precession of Sacred Carriages) was next. There was two, one for each emperor the festival is dedicated to. The first was for Emperor Komei, last ruler in Kyoto. The second was for Emperor Kanmu, who moved the capital to Kyoto. The priests of Heian Jingu Shrine attend and escort the carriages. According to the book, "The holy spirits of the two emperors are transfered into these two sacred carriages from the shrine."

Uhhh, not sure who was in this carriage, but the horse felt the urge to drop a load while the parade was paused...

The people behind the carriage were very upset.

Us downwind weren't pleased either...

The parade ended with archers. "Men in both Minami-Kuwata and Funai counties (part of the present Kyoto Prefecture) were said to have excelled in archery in old times. When the capital was moved to Kyoto, their decedents guarded the Imperial procession."

And then it was over.

Everyone scattered and we were suddenly in a Japanese sea.

I stepped on something funny and found it was a scratched up piece of metal. I think it was originally a pin, but the back is missing.

Then we had to find our way back to the train station.

Archers!

We stopped and rest in the park that Becky and I visited last time when we were going to the moon festival. It was really nice out, though a little chilly.

We decided to not go to the Fire Festival because we would have to not only get on a separate train line to get there, but there was a huge line for tickets, then a huge line for the train, and for sure many more huge lines after that to get in. We were tired and decided to call it a night.

We got our winter blankets today! They are so pretty! And they're soft too!