2016 Abushibare (畦払い) A Favorite Photo

Everyone Praying

 

 

This photo was taken at 10:16AM on the beach at Yaka, Kin Town, Okinawa, Japan.

It's a favorite, out of 150 images taken today because, I was fortunate enough, to get that close. 

There were plenty of other photographers and note takers at this cultural event.

Sometimes, the crowd of reporters and photographers, outnumbers the worshipers at an event.

That was probably, true today but, everyone acted professionally and, I'm glad they did.

Each of us, took turns, allowing others, to get in close, to do their work.

It's been a long day and, I'm still waiting, to find out if the full moon will appear tonight. 

Many other images, will have to be processed, at a later date.

Some more candid shots (unprocessed) may be seen, in a Facebook album. 

Learn more about Abushibare:

 Abushibare (畦払い) Snails Got Sent Out to Sea Today

Special Box in Okinawa Known as Binshii

Used During Rituals

 

 

On many occasions, I have seen these wooden boxes but, just learned the name today.

They are carried to shrines and sacred sites for prayers and offerings.

Most of the day was spent researching this one and, is was a toughie.

Some references, had me believing, Juu-baku, would be the correct terminology.

But, when verified through several other sources, I changed my mind.

Juu-baku boxes have similar compartments but, are usually square in shape.

 Luckily, I remembered this photo, from a book by Ayako Toguchi.

The shape of the boxes, I have been seeing, are always rectangular.

Using the characters ビンシー (binshii) I plugged them into a Japanese search engine.

And, got confirmation, that is the wooden box used for rituals in the Ryukyu Islands.

The wooden containers hold, rice, salt, incense and awamori for community rituals.

Do they have any special prayer boxes like this where, you come from ?

REFERENCES:

Photo illustration from Ayano Toguchi ISBN4-89095-136-9 P.243

Collaborative Reference Database Japan

Okinawan-English Wordbook ISBN 978-0-8248-3102-8 P.17

Travel Shots: Prayer at Katsuren Castle

On the grounds of this UNESCO World Heritage attraction, there are sacred sites.

Water wells, springs, shrines and groves may have visitors, worshiping and making offerings.

This was the scene, I encountered, going up the hill to the castle.

The photo was composed at a distance  to show the stone wall and some terrain.

Once the worshipers left the area, this photo of the sign at the spring was taken.

It gives a bit of history about the site and the name, Machida Spring.

The images aren't anything, I would sell but, they help when I'm doing research.

The people you meet at these places may be direct descendants of the royal families.

It made me wish they hadn't taken off so fast, when it started to rain !

REFERENCES:

Japan Guide

World Heritage Site

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Within UNESCO Nakijin Castle: A Ritual Photo

Prayer Before a Festive Occasion in the Ryukyu Islands

At the Juri Uma Parade

 

 

Prior to the dances on stage and in the streets a few rituals take place.

The women in white robes are priestesses.

Running ahead with a camera, to get in position, I may have missed some events.

This scene shows those approaching a site for prayer and offerings.

It was the 5th or 6th spot visited along the way.

There were brief visits made to a priestess' home, a  well and other sacred sites.

One of the reasons, I visit days or, weeks before an event is to be recognized by the locals.

It makes, everyone feel more comfortable and, I am not a stranger to them.

Much of Okinawa's recorded history was destroyed in the past.

And, it makes researching some events extremely difficult.

For those interested in Okinawan religion here's a link, in English.

Over 100 pages are included in this PDF about the Tsuji fire in the last Century.

Tsuji, is the district in Naha, where this annual event takes place.

More About the Juri Uma Parade

Going to Sueyoshi Shrine -- A Great Nature Walk

This is one of the most interesting shrines you can visit.

It's what you might call, "off the beaten path."

But, it is flip-flop friendly.  I am living proof.

More shrines and temples should be built in places like this.

That way, when people go to worship, they would get a good dose of nature, too.

What more could you ask for ?

Note:  This trail is the easy way to reach Sueyoshi Shrine.

If you plan on going, stop by Map It Okinawa for directions.

Within UNESCO Nakijin Castle: A Ritual Photo

This is an image of a man preparing one of the sacred sites for an annual ritual.

Today, I took the cameras and visited all of the locations of worship within Nakijin-jo.

Before taking any photos, I asked permission and went to each site with those attending.

Offerings and prayers were made at many places, I've visited before.

There were areas of the pilgrimage that took us outside the confines of the castle.

Totally exhausted and, with hundreds of photos to process, this is all I will posting tonight. 

Being allowed to take photos of cultural events, like this, is something I enjoy.

More important, to me though, is the friends I make along the way.

5 Views of a Sacred Site on Sesoko Island Okinawa

There are hundreds of sacred sites (Utaki) on the island of Okinawa.

The stonework of the walls and steps here resemble that of a castle so, this one is very old.

With no one worshiping, it was a good time to take photos from several angles.

Notice, there are two separate structures.

The building in the back has an unusual ornament on the tiled roof.

 Here is a view, looking through the first building at the locked entrance to the second one.

Down the road, to the right, you can see both buildings are up on a hill.

The Ryukyu Islands have a fascinating history and culture.

It could take a non-native 100 years to understand it all.

Be patient.  I'm working on it.

Related Posts:

Forest, Rocks and Salt: The Less Traveled Path in Okinawa

Utaki the Sacred Sites of Okinawa

Travel Photo: Prayer on the Mountain

This photo was taken during a ritual known as Shinigu in Okinawa, Japan.

The women of Gushiken, on Motobu Peninsula conduct this ceremony annually.

It is a form of prayer which consists of song and dance.

The lifestyle and religious beliefs of these people may be the secret to longevity.

See the article Shinigu  Ensures Long Life, Prosperity

The Dancing Ladies of Gushiken Okinawa, Japan (Photo)

It's a rare occasion that a day goes by without me posting something here.

Yesterday happened to be one of those days.

Up in the northern Okinawa, Japan is a village on the Motobu Peninsula called Gushiken.

That's pretty much where I've been hanging out for the past few days.

An event I'm trying to document takes place there, once a year.

It is called a Shinigu.

The ladies in the photo above are rehearsing a dance they will perform tomorrow.

Several dances and songs are done to thank the gods for bountiful harvests and good fortune.

The Shinigu could be considered a form of prayer, or worship.

The dancers are asking the gods of the seas, forests, sky, and field for continued success.

Only women are allowed to perform Shinigu.

It was my good fortune to be allowed to photograph their preparations.

For the next few evenings, I will be out of town trying to get the whole story for you.

SEE: PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR FOREIGN FESTIVALS

Forest, Rocks and Salt: The Less Traveled Path in Okinawa (Photo)

The past few weeks I've been traveling all over the Ryukyu Islands with that dude I keep calling RyukyuRu.  It's a blast but, the young guy acts like he's about half my age, goes up and down mountain trails, into the dark corners of caves and through the jungle like some kinda wild animal.  Half the time, I have no idea where we went.  He'll have to tell us where I took this photo of forest, rocks, and salt.  He pays attention to where he's going while I just tag along to shoot the camera.

Ru has one of those GPS gadgets.  It's great for finding stuff on Google Maps.  I just wish it had a few more important features built into the system.  Like, it would be better if it had a built-in flashlight for dark places.  And, it would be nice if it reminded people the sun is going to go down a few hours earlier when you're in the jungle or a cave than it does when you're at the beach.

RyukyuRu's real name is Lou.  It's just easier to say Ru, around here, because they don't have any "L's" in the Japanese dictionary.  Whenever I introduce him to anyone here,  I just say his name is Ru.  That way I don't get stuck giving free English lessons to everybody.

One of these days I may do a blog interview and Lou can let you know all he wants to about himself.  Meanwhile,  you can snoop around MAP IT OKINAWA and learn things about him while seeing more photos of where we've been in the Ryukyu Island Chain.

Today, I chose to title this post Forest, Rocks, and Salt: The Less Traveled Path, because of what we experienced yesterday.

We observed two women at worship in a well-marked UTAKI (SACRED SITE)  early-on in the day and steered clear so as to not disturb them.  They had placed three piles of salt in different locations throughout the Utaki.  Some were placed alongside the trail,  some on rocks, some at the base of trees in the forest, and others at small stone or cement shrines.

After we left that sacred site, we went to the less-traveled paths.  Places where we found caves, water wells, springs, thick brush, jungle, and hills a mountain goat wouldn't enjoy climbing, we kept running across three freshly laid piles of salt.  We're fairly certain the same two women had traveled off the beaten path and reached every location ahead of us but, never saw them again the entire day.  Dozens, if not a hundred, or more, remote locations and probably a few kilos of fresh salt had been placed in locations where we had to beat our own path.  Big mystery here.  Hmm.

After I'm done picking all the burrs out of my undercarriage, I wonder if I should go try and solve this mystery about the forest, rocks and salt piles on the less-traveled paths of Okinawa. 

Or, should I  just stay home and drink beer?

The Torii on the Beach: Ghost at the Top of the Hill (Photos)

Aw, you don't really believe in ghosts.  Or do you? 

I promised a few people I'd show them the Ghost I mentioned in a previous blog post so, I guess it's time I dug her up.

First, you get to look at the scene as it would be if you were approaching this sacred site in late afternoon.

It can be pretty dark inside this wooded grove, even when the sun is shining brightly on the best of days.

After passing under the Torii and entering the site, this small Utaki, or place of worship, is the first thing you notice along the trail.


Climb all the stairs behind the small building and you'll come to this, very special, site of worship.
It is locked up. Only a high priestess opens the doors to pray and make offerings and that is only on special occasions. No one else has access to the place.  There is a chair on the right side.

Just about the time I started thinking of going the rest of the way up and sitting down to rest my weary bones. Something moved and I snapped this photo.  It's a GHOST and I know her.

She used to work with me here in Okinawa, Japan.  She did the writing and I was the photographer.  We worked together on Photo Essays for APOGEE PHOTO MAGAZINE, GO BACKPACKING and ROMAR TRAVEL.

Some of them, we did a couple of articles for between 2009 and 2010.  Then, all of a sudden, one day she just disappeared into thin air.  So, I figure, she really must have been a ghost.  A GHOST WRITER. 

There's the ghost on the top of the hill behind the Torii on the beach in Okinawa, Japan.  Wuuuu !

Utaki The Sacred Sites of Okinawa (Photos)

      Today for Travel Photo Thursday I'd like to introduce you to Okinawa's Sacred Sites, Utaki.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of sacred sites located throughout the islands of Okinawa, Japan.

The most popular Utaki are UNESCO World Heritage Sites or within the sites, such as the photos I'm showing you today. The women above are making offerings at a sacred well, within the walls of UNESCO Nakagusuku Castle.

A grove of trees, source of water, stone and a hill all seem to be common themes for Utaki.  Sometimes, there is a small building at the site. It may resemble a shrine or miniature temple but, not an elaborate, brightly-colored shrine you'd see at a Buddhist Temple. We have a few of those, too.


Okinawans are ancestor worshipers. The religion here is a combination of many things. There are several gods in nature and Animism, Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism all play a part in the spiritualism on these islands.

Many Utaki, I have come across, are in remote areas, not necessarily on a hill.  Some are found in villages and not in heavily wooded areas.  Most of them will not have signs written in English.

Whenever you see women in the middle of nowhere or in front of a small shrine, or even a pile of rocks, with trays of food, such as rice balls, fruits, something to drink and smell incense burning, you can be sure of one thing.  They aren't having a picnic.  They are more than likely worshipping at an Utaki.

Discrete would be my advice if you happen to come across people worshipping in any culture.  These women consented to my taking their photos because I speak their dialect.  So, I did the silver-tongue work and got Doc Graff, the other Cameraman to handle the manual labor of helping the gals up and down some dangerous stairs. Hah!

For more information on The Sacred Sites of Okinawa visit UTAKI