Encyclopedia of Shinto

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カテゴリー1： 5. Rites and Festivals
カテゴリー2： Individual Shrine Observances
Title
Urate shinji
Text
"Urate rite." A rite resembling sumō wrestling held September 24 at Tamanoya Shrine in Bōfu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Urate were the equivalent of sekiwake (the third highest rank) in today's sumō. Two referees, naked except for loincloths, come out and present a round straw mat. Next they offer up decorative long swords and place them on the mat. They bow, clap once, and take three steps back. They then pantomime the face-off that occurs in sumō bouts. Next, crouching with both legs bent at almost a 90-degree angle, they take three steps forward and three steps back. After repeating this action, they then strike their hips with the palms of their hands simultaneously, raise their hands, and give a shout. Finished, they take away the decorative swords and the straw mat. Next two people in the role of wrestlers bring out the mat and swords in the same manner as the referees and act out a sumō bout. At the end of their performance they strike the ground 12 times with their palms (13 times for a leap year). Then they raise their hands giving a loud shout. In the past this was commonly known as the "night rite" (yoru no shinji) since it took place at the hour of the horse (about 2 a.m.). Since their actions resemble those of sumō, the rite is also said to be an ancient form of that sport.
— Mogi Sakae

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

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