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
Hana-bai matsuri
Text
A festival meant to ensure the success of the silk harvest, which takes place on January 6 at Hakusan Shrine in Shiratori Town, Gujō District, Gifu Prefecture. Also called the Sixth Day Festival. A serving platter with offerings of rice, mochi (glutinous rice cake) and fruit is placed before the altar. This is followed by a san-san-ku-do ("Three-Three-Nine-Times") rite in which small amounts of sake are drunk three times from a cup. After a ritualized praise of the offerings, these are distributed to the festival participants. A dance called Ennen-no-mai in the old ta-asobi style is performed next. After the dance, worshippers scramble for the bamboo hats (kasa) hanging from the ceiling in the Worship Hall (haiden). The name of the festival, which literally means "Scramble for Flowers Festival," is related to this custom. The hats are decorated with five varieties of artificial flowers: cherry, camellia, poppy, chrysanthemum, and peony. The flowers are offered on the altar for the protection of the silkworms.
— Mogi Sakae

Pronunciation in Japanese/用語音声

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