Dog Memorial Service - Inukuyou

Japanese: 犬供養 - いぬくよう

This is a women's event held in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, as well as in Tochigi, Fukushima, and Miyagi prefectures. This event has two characteristics: mourning the death of an animal and praying for safe childbirth. The former is more prevalent in Fukushima and Miyagi, while the latter is more prevalent in the lower Tone River basin and Tochigi. In the lower Tone River basin, young brides who are members of the Jyukuya-ko and Yusan-ko groups regularly hold this event from February to April each year, but it can also be held temporarily when a female dog dies. A Y-shaped stupa called a dog stupa is wrapped in straw and filled with rice balls, and carried to the sound of gongs and drums to a river or a three-way intersection on the outskirts of the village, where it is set up.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

千葉県や茨城県の利根川下流域をはじめ，栃木，福島，宮城の諸県にかけて行われる女の行事。この行事には，動物の死を弔うという性格と人間の安産を祈願するという性格とがある。福島，宮城では前者の，利根川下流域や栃木では後者の性格が強くみられる。利根川下流域では十九夜講やユサン講などの講員である若い嫁が，毎年2月から4月ころにかけて定期的に行うが，雌犬が死んだ際に臨時に行うこともある。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。

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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