[Miyagi] Traditional New Year event “Donto Festival”

Chimon
2017.01.16
Last updated: 2024.07.1

table of contents

1 What is Donto Festival?
2 Osaki Hachimangu Shrine Matsutaki Festival
- 2.1 Osaki Hachiman Shrine Matsutaki Festival <Information>

When the sound of bamboo exploding in flames echoes through the temple grounds, the people of Miyagi Prefecture realize once again that the new year has begun.

The ``Matsutaki Festival'' is held at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine in the cold skies. This festival, which is crowded with worshipers dressed in cold weather gear and groups of naked worshipers, is called the Donto Festival

What is Donto Festival?

Donto Festival is a general term for festivals held in Miyagi Prefecture and other parts of the Tohoku region, and is a traditional New Year's send-off event in which In western Japan, a similar Shinto ritual called ``Sagicho'' is well known.

Every year, New Year's decorations such as kadomatsu and pine decorations brought to the shrine by the night of January 14th are lit by the ``imibi'' fire. This flame is said to be the ``sacred fire'' that sends out the gods who have visited each household, and it is said that by touching the sacred fire, you will be blessed with good health for a year, safety for your family, and prosperity in business.

There are various theories about the origin of this unusual name, including ``a corruption of the word ``to'' and ``it came from the sound of bamboo exploding,'' but it is generally said that it comes from ``Dondon-don,'' which means burning.

Also, depending on the region where the event is held, there are some ambiguities in its definition.

First of all, let's talk about the name. In Miyagi Prefecture, it is called Donto Festival, but depending on the region, the name changes slightly, such as "Donto-yaki" or "Dondo-yaki."

The event will be held on January 7th in Ishinomaki City by the New Life Movement, which advocates the establishment of rational and democratic lifestyle practices, as well as on January 15th at Morioka Hachiman Shrine in Iwate Prefecture, and at Nishine Shrine in Fukushima Prefecture. Even the dates are different, such as being held for several days together with the Usokae Festival.

Furthermore, since it is a Shinto ritual, it is generally held at a shrine rather than a temple, but it is actually held at the Ruler Nyorai and the Sendai Daikannon. The reason behind this ambiguous definition is probably the history of Donto Festival, which has been popular with local residents.

Osaki Hachimangu Shrine Matsutaki Festival

Donto Festival is held in various parts of the prefecture.
The largest of these is the Matsutaki Festival at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine. It has a history of 300 years, and more than 100,000 people visit each year. In 2005, it was designated as an intangible folk cultural property by Sendai City

Tohoku Rokken trivia media: NEFT

[Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture] “Osaki Hachimangu Shrine”, a national treasure and the Sendai general guardian, famous for the naked pilgrimage of the Donto Festival

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/204

Osaki Hachiman Shrine is a shrine located on the west side of Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, along Prefectural Route 31 (Sendai Murata Line) in Yawata, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, which is a designated city. The former status of the shrine was a village shrine, and the deities enshrined are Emperor Ojin, Emperor Chuai, and Empress Jingu, and the shrine is also famous for the Donto Festival at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine. https://jp.neft.asia/archives/1116The Momoyama-architected shrine Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, designated as a national treasure, is built by Sakanoue Tamuramaro, who was entrusted by the imperial court with the Ezo expedition in the Tohoku region during the Heian period, although the exact date of its construction is unknown. However, he summoned Hachiman, the god of war, from Usa Shrine in present-day Oita Prefecture, and worshiped Ezo...

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One of its characteristics is ``naked pilgrimage'' .
Naked pilgrims come from all over the city to worship naked, with only their bellies exposed and a shimenawa tied around their waists. Wearing tabi and straw sandals on our feet, holding a bell in our right hand and a lantern in our left, we aim for the sacred fire many kilometers away on foot. It is a solemn event without the bravado of summer festivals, as the deities are held in their mouths to prevent them from breathing on them.

Its origin is said to have been started by a sake brewer in Sendai to pray for brewing safety and ginjo, but it is said to have become established in the mid-Edo period. Currently, about 3,000 people visit the shrine, and it has become a Sendai winter tradition that can be seen on the pedestrian deck and Chuo Street.