Wealth and Festival of Sakai the City of Commerce — Folding Screens “Festival of Sumiyoshi-taisha”

Left screen

Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine is on the top left.
Starting from the shrine, which is in Osaka, procession of the sacred palanquins are heading off to Sakai.

Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine

Sumiyoshi-taisha is worshipped as the god of safe sea travel.
As Sakai has prospered near the sea, people there are devout believers in the shrine.

Sacred mikoshi palanquins

Four palanquins are leaving the precinct of the shrine.
The first one is about to finish crossing the arched bridge.
The second one is at the gate.

Chief priest

The person on the white horse under the torii gate is the chief priest of Sumiyoshi-taisha.
Dressed in a black robe with a gold pattern, he has an air of dignity about him.

Horse attendants

Horse attendants are showing off their conspicuous uniform.

Monks and Priests

On the horses preceding the chief priest are two monks from the Jinguji Temple and two priests from Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine.
We can see how the procession was like in the times Shinto and Buddhism were syncretized.

Sarutahiko

The head of the procession is the person with a long nose mask as Sarutahiko.

Falconer and Street vendor

On the roadside, the falconer of the Sumiyoshi-taisha, with his eyebrows raised, is issuing a warning to a street vendor about something.
The vendor is trying to make a good excuse.

Right screen

The town of Sakai is depicted.
Townspeople parade through the streets in various costumes to welcome the gods of Sumiyoshi.

Merchant houses

Sakai was facing the sea on the west side and surrounded by a moat on the other three sides.
On this screen the moat on the north side and the wooden gate are shown.
Inside the moat are many kinds of merchant houses standing side by side.

Pharmacy and Pawn shop

The shop with a lot of hanging triangular bags is a pharmacy.
The curtain with a picture of a drawstring bag probably indicates a pawn shop.

Thread shop

At the thread shop, three women are braiding threads.

Horo warriors (Samurai warrior with balloon-like cloak)

Some townspeople are dressed as horo warriors.
Though horo were originally used in battles for protecting the wearer from shot arrows, those in this painting are customized for the festival ornaments.

Viewers on boats

The town of Sakai was facing the sea at the time.
People on the boat are viewing the parade.
Among the people parading down the street along the beach are townsmen dressed as Europeans.

Big merchant houses

The parade is making a turn at a merchant’s house with a noren that shows the emblem of a fan, and is heading to the Otabisho, the temporary shrine.

Otabisho Shrine

At the Otabisho shrine, the fundraising sumo match is being held, gathering spectators.
There are men approaching women on the street.