What is an Onakama? An "Onakama" is a folk shaman (fugeki) who performs spiritual mediumship, incantations, and divination, primarily in the Mogami and Murayama regions of Yamagata Prefecture. They are similar to Itako and Mikosama in other parts of the Tohoku region...
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Located in the mountainous area of Ayaori-cho, Tono City, Iwate Prefecture, the "Gohyaku Rakan" (Five Hundred Arhats) is a group of stone Buddha statues erected in the late Edo period. While now a well-known tourist spot in Tono City, its background...
In Towa-cho, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, there is a shrine that enshrines a massive rock as its sacred object, and also worships a local pioneering deity, a practice not seen in other regions. Incidentally, the title "animism" refers to the worship of non-human beings...
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Examples of Itako Spells: As mentioned earlier, Itako chant various incantations, or spells, when performing shamanistic rituals such as spirit mediumship. But what exactly are these incantations like...?.
The Training Process to Become an Itako We've looked at examples of the shamanistic practices performed by Itako, but what kind of training is necessary to become an Itako? Currently, new Itako...
Introduction While reverence for intangible things like "prayer" and "faith" is still valued today, in the past in Japan, these were even more closely intertwined with daily life. That...
"Any crying children here?" The Namahage of Oga, Akita Prefecture, is known nationwide as a representative folk event of the Tohoku region. However, while their appearance and names may differ, they actually fulfill a similar role...
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Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. This area is famous as the birthplace of Ono no Komachi and the birthplace of Inaniwa udon. However, Iwasaki Hachiman Shrine in Yuzawa City is home to a "doll Dosojin," a guardian deity made from natural objects...
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The Innai district of Yuzawa City, Akita Prefecture. This quiet mountain village once flourished as a town connected to the Innai Silver Mine, known as the "largest silver mine in the Orient." Today, the remains of other silver mines are hidden in the mountains...
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What is the Sanriku International Arts Festival? The Sanriku International Arts Festival was launched in 2014 in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. It highlights the various local performing arts of the Sanriku coastal region and also features performing arts and artists from around the world.
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