Millet ears - Awabohiebo

It is a form of prayer for a good harvest during the Little New Year, and is an artificial creation that represents the ripeness of foxtail millet or barnyard millet. It is made by cutting branches of Japanese sumac or other trees to about 10 cm and sticking them onto the end of split bamboo to form a drooping ear, or by bundling together a dozen or so branches about 20 cm long, or by attaching small rice cakes or dumplings to the branches. It is offered at Shinto altars or displayed outdoors. In some places, branches with the bark peeled are distinguished from millet ears, and barnyard millet ears with the skin still on. It was widely distributed, but with the decline of foxtail millet and barnyard millet cultivation, it is rarely seen anymore.

[Noriaki Tanaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

小正月の豊作祈願の一形式で、アワやヒエの豊熟したさまを表す作り物。ヌルデなどの枝を10センチメートルぐらいに切り、割り竹の先に刺して穂垂れの形にしたものや、20センチメートルぐらいの枝を十数本束ねたもの、小餅(もち)、団子を枝につけたものなどがあり、神棚に供えたり、屋外に飾りつける。枝の表皮を剥(は)いだのを粟穂、皮付きの稗穂と区別する所もある。広く分布していたが、アワ、ヒエ栽培の衰退とともに、ほとんどみられなくなった。

［田中宣一］

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