Prayers for safe delivery - Anzankigan

...A Y-shaped stupa called a dog stupa is wrapped in a straw bag containing rice balls and carried to the river or a three-way intersection on the outskirts of the village by gongs and drums, where it is erected. This is an event to pray for safe childbirth. At the same time, since the dog stupa is carried to the village border and erected there, the dog memorial service can also be seen as an event to send misfortunes out of the village, just like the sending off of insects, to prevent them from coming back. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to "prayer for safe delivery" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…犬卒塔婆とよぶY字形の塔婆に握飯を入れた藁苞（わらづと）をつけて，村はずれの川や三差路まで鉦（かね）･太鼓で送っていき，そこに立ててくる。これは無事に子どもが生まれてくることを願う安産祈願の行事である。同時に，犬供養は犬卒塔婆を村境まで送っていって立てることから，虫送りなどと同じく，村の中の災厄を村外に送り出し，再び入ってこないようにする行事ともいえる。…

※「安産祈願」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報