Women's Roof - Onna no Yane

Japanese: 女の屋根 - おんなのやね

...In Aichi and Gifu, there is a custom in which the woman of the house is the host and hosts a feast for the men. The custom of hanging mugwort and iris on the eaves on this day is seen almost throughout the country, but in some areas it is called the "woman's roof." Originally, May was the month of rice planting, and it was an important time of modesty for women who worshiped the rice field god, and it is thought that they would stay in their houses with mugwort and iris hanging on them and live a life of abstinence and vegetation. ...

From [Tango]

...In Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, there is a place where the night when the roof is thatched with irises is called "Women's House" and male guests are treated to a mixed rice dish of butterbur and broad beans. The night of this day, which is said to be a festival for boys, was once known throughout the country as a day for women to show off, with such names as "Women's World," "Women's House," "Women's Night," and "Women's Roof." These legends are thought to be remnants of the time when women, who had the important role of young girls during the upcoming rice planting season, would stay in certain houses and live a life of vegetarianism in order to welcome the rice field god. ...

*Some of the terminology that refers to "women's roof" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

Japanese:

…愛知や岐阜では，家の女が主人となり男たちを客にしてごちそうをする習慣もある。この日，ヨモギとショウブを軒にさす習俗はほぼ全国に見られるが，これを〈女の屋根〉と呼ぶ地域もある。元来，5月は田植の月で，田の神をまつる女性にとっては重要な慎みの時であり，ヨモギとショウブをさした家にこもって物忌み精進の生活をしたものと考えられる。…

【端午】より

…愛知県一宮市には，葺き籠りといって菖蒲で屋根を葺いたその夜を〈女の家〉といい，客となって訪れる男にフキやソラマメの五目飯を出してもてなす所があるという。男児の節供のごとくいわれるこの日の夜を，女の天下，女の家，女の夜，女の屋根などといって女性がいばる日とすることが，かつては全国に分布していた。これらの伝承は，後に控えた田植のときに早乙女としての重い役割を担う女性が，特定の家に忌みこもって精進の生活をし，田の神を迎えようとしたなごりではないかとされている。…

※「女の屋根」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

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