Last week,
at Minashi Shrine in Hida-ichinomiya,
located 10km south from our place,
"Oomatsuri (Grand Festival)" was held.
As the name "Oomatsuri" （大祭）expresses,
it was literally a grand big festival
that was held for the first time after 57 years!!
I don't do well in explaining the festival nor the shrine.
Click on the below link if you're interested in the details
of the shrine.
Minashi Shrine
Again, it was a grand festival that was last held 57 years ago.
All the deities from Hida-region are said to gather during this festival
and we are able to watch the distinct parade of each shrine
that proceed toward the Minashi Shrine.
At some spots during the parade, they will perform lion dances in different
costumes and with unique moves.
We were able to visit the festival on a beautiful day
and my kids and I enjoyed not only the festival but the
marvelous scenery under the peaceful spring sunshine.
It was so fun imagining what it was like 57 years ago.
We also talked a lot about what we will be doing 57 years later.
I, myself, will not be here for sure
but that is life and my kids will have to survive that
and talking about whether I will be floating above them
or traveling here and there freely, or
eating as much as I want (since I'm a ghost, I won't have
to worry about calories, ha-ha)
while watching the big, noisy, and amazing parade proceeding
in front of us was so much fun, seriously.
Perhaps, this is what religion is all about.
Think, talk, discuss, and get rid of all the scary thoughts about
dying, the big topic, that we usually want to run away from.
Of course, there's no way we can laugh about it
when we have to face it,
but perhaps it is good to talk about it
at least during happy moments.
Anyways, watching this festival was
certainly a rare and precious experience,
feeling the "past" happening right in front of us.
Thank you to our flow of life who or what has brought us here!!
I will first of all post the festival photos.
Later on, I will post the pictures of the beautiful sceneries
around the shrine.
先週、四日間に渡り、
飛騨一ノ宮（我が家より10キロほど南へ下ったところにある町です）の
水無神社にて、「式年大祭」が開催されました。
文字通り、大きな祭で、
なんと57年ぶりの開催、
飛騨中の神社より神々が集うとされる
大変珍しいお祭りです。
うまく説明する自信がないので
ご興味のある方は神社ＨＰへ⇒
水無神社
飛騨のあちこちより、
それぞれの御巡幸が列をなして水無神社へ向かう様子
時には、個性的な獅子が舞う様子を見学させていただきながら
子供たちと、57年前について、
57年後はどうなるのか、などについてたくさん話をしました。
57年後かぁ、
もちろん自分はこの世にはおりません。
しかし、それを悲しい話としてではなく
きっと私のことだから、
そこら中をぷかぷかと浮かんでいるだろう、
あっちへこっちへ自由に飛び回っているだろう、
始終好きなものを食らっているのだろう
（もうカロリーは気にしなくていいもんね）
と大いに盛り上がりました 笑。
もちろん、その日がやって来た時に
すんなり受け入れられるはずがないことは
理解しておりますが、少なくても
ハッピーな瞬間に、こんな会話をするのは
悪くないことだと思っています。
いずれにしても
本当に貴重な体験ができたこと、
このタイミングでここにいられたことに感謝します。
まずは
お祭りの写真をアップします。
また後日、周辺のキレイな景色を載せますね♪
