Aofushigaki Shinto Ritual

This is a ritual held on April 7th at Miho Shrine in Mihonoseki-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. It is well known as an ancient ritual that originates from the myth of the transfer of the country, which is told in the Kojiki. The ritual begins with a retreat on the night of the last day of March, and continues until April 6th with various preliminary rituals such as the Ninbetsu ceremony, Kiribi, and Shiokaki, with the main festival taking place on the 7th. On this day, the chief priest first visits the Toya shrine, and then moves on to the Gobune no Gi ceremony. This involves two boats, fenced with green brushwood, one of which has a chest containing a Namikiri Gohei (a sacred offering made from sacred wands), and the chief priest, the first toya, and the second toya boarding them, rowing out to the center of Mihonoseki Port, then sailing in one go to the sea in front of the shrine, where the crowds waiting on the shore compete to grab the boats' sakaki (brassicaria), shimenawa (sacred rope), and shikikomo (rice straw mat) as talismans for a good catch and safe voyage. After this, from the 8th to the 14th, there is a ritual called "Atogi," where the toya for the following year is decided, and the ceremony concludes with the performance of Kagura (a sacred dance) to welcome the new toya.

[Yoshii Sadatoshi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

島根県松江市美保関(みほのせき)町の美保神社において4月7日に行われる神事。『古事記』に語られている国譲りの神話に由来する古式神事として著名である。神事は3月晦(みそか)夜の参籠(さんろう)から始まり、4月6日まで人別(にんべつ)行事、鑽火(きりび)、斎浦潮掻(しおかき)などの前段諸神事があり、7日に本祭を迎える。この日はまず宮司が当屋(とうや)に参り、ついで御舟の儀に移る。これは、2隻の御舟に青柴(あおしば)で垣を構え、1隻には中に波剪御幣(なみきりごへい)を納めた唐櫃(からびつ)を置き、宮司、一の当屋、二の当屋が分乗して、いったん美保関港の中央にこぎ出したのち、一気に社前の宮の灘(なだ)へ寄せてくるもので、海岸ではこれを待ち受けていた群参者が、御舟の榊(さかき)、注連縄(しめなわ)、敷薦(しきこも)などを奪い合い、大漁、航海安全のお守りとする。こののち8日から14日まで後儀の神事があり、これによって翌年の当屋を定め、新しい当人見参の神楽(かぐら)を奉奏して終了する。

［吉井貞俊］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例