Priest or kannushi (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Festivities and Rites
Throughout the year, Japan holds countless traditional religious festivities and rituals of great social and cultural relevance. The exhibition Japan: Festivities and Rites reveals these celebrations and their importance in consolidating the identity of each community.
Susanoo no Mikoto and Inadahime awaiting the 8-headed serpent, from the series Mirror of Famous Generals of Japan (1885) by Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Publisher: Funazu ChujiroSmithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
Legend has it...
The god Susanoo was separated from the goddess Inada-hime because of a terrible flood. The calamities persisted and the separation of the two was to blame. That's why every year their union is celebrated in a symbolic wedding to appease them and obtain protection and fertility.
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Nara Perfecture, South of Osaka
The festivity takes place between two neighbouring towns, about 1 km apart, separated by the Hatsuse River. The male rope is built in Etsutsumi and the female rope in Onishi. They meet near the torii of the picture, at Kasuga shrine's entrance.
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Kasuga Shrine in Etsutsumi
Early in the morning on 9 February, each family in Etsutsumi takes bales of rice straw to the Kasuga Shrine so that the construction of the male rope can begin.
The shrine is dedicated to the deity Susanoo, whom the male rope symbolises.
Male rope (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Male Rope or Ozuna
The male rope, or Ozuna in japanese, is built in the shape of a cone, whose phallic evocation is unmistakable. It has a diameter of around two metres, a length of four to five metres and a long tail of around 40 metres, weighing approximately 600 kilos.
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Ichikishima Shrine, Onishi
The next day, the construction of female rope begins but only after an Onishi's representant checks the size of the male rope. Otsuna Shrine, located within Ichikishima Shrine, is dedicated to the goddess Inada-hime who, according to legend, was separated from the god Susanoo.
Otsuna-do (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
A Sacred Place: Otsuna-do
A wooden shed, the otsuna-do, is dedicated to the preparation of the female rope. Ropes of around ten metres are made, which are folded into a circle in allusion to the genital organ. A simple rope, at one end, will serve as a guide during the procession.
Opening of the female rope (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Female rope or Mezuna
The main structure of the female rope is wrapped in a coiling rope and, after finished, is installed in the auspicious direction of the year, defined according to the zodiac sign of the year that has just begun. It awaits the procession that will take place the following day.
Construction of the Ropes
Preparation for the procession (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Skillfull and Complex: Winding and Twisting
The construction is a tedious job that requires the wisdom of the elders. The process is similar for the two ropes. The straw bales are first connected to each other, forming ropes which are then winded and twisted.
The participants who carry the main body of the rope are dressed in festive costumes.
Porters' attire (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
A Feast between Gods and Humans
The ritual begins on 11 February at the Otsuna Shrine in Onishi with a prayer, followed by the naorai banquet, which brings together gods and humans.
In this way the villagers re-establish ties not only with the deities, but with each other.
The Procession of the Female Rope
Sumo fight (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Muddy Sumo Match
In a rice field, with the end of the rope, a circle is made to form the sumo ring, one of the highlights of the event. It is considered that the body covered in mud is summoning the entities of the earth, therefore the more mud, the more abundant the year's harvest will be.
Pause after the sumo fight (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Energies Must Be Restored
The route between the Otsuna and Kasuga shrines is only 1 kilometre long, but the female rope is very heavy, so several pauses are necessary. Everything takes place in a fun, cheerful and natural environment.
Opening of the female rope (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Preparing for the Ceremony
The procession ends at the Susanoo shrine, where people from both towns gather. The female rope is hung where the wedding is to take place.
The procession of the male rope (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
The Matchmaker’s Call
The matchmaker simulates the courtship and the provocative dialogue between the ropes, so that they come closer.
After several back and forth hesitations the male rope finally joins the female rope, which regrets the long wait.
Insertion of the male rope (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
The Union of the Two Ropes
The male rope is also attached to a tree and then inserted into the female rope. They are tied securely so that they don't come loose, symbolising becoming one. Women who wish to have a child will appeal to the deities here.
Bringing people and nature together (2019) by Sylvie PimpaneauMuseu do Oriente
Bringing People and Nature Together
The ceremony reinforces the bond between the inhabitants, but also the bonds of gratitude with nature, the land and the deities.
Despite the rural exodus, the ageing population and different lifestyles, this celebration continues promoting the identity of this community.
Pimpaneau, Sylvie, curator of the Japan: Festivities and Rites exhibition at the Museu do Oriente, in OTSUNA MATSURI, the celebration of the wedding of the ropes, 2023.
Note: In 2012, this festival was included in the list of Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs.
