The folk stories and Oji Inari Shrine
The unique festival ‘The Fox Parade’ was held on 31, 2015 in Oji.
We joined the annual New Year’s Eve event and celebrated the New Year.
We gave “Kitsune-Girei” to Oji Inari-shrine with children called La-Fox (Byakko-shu). (The “Girei” means a festival rite.)
Inari shrine is dedicated to a god who looks after the grain. Most notable are foxes in Inari shrine.
There are folk stories and beliefs that every new year’s eve, many foxes gathered from the eastern part of Japan and visited to pray Oji Inari shrine which is the head shrine of Inari in Tohoku and Kanto area.
The story was actually drawn by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1857.
(The picture on the left)
We walked in a lantern parade and waited for the foxes from the eastern countries.
The foxes from Togoku 33 countries (the eastern part of Japan) arrived and moved forward slowly.
It was just like the traditions and Hiroshige’s picture.
You can join this lantern parade if you put fox make up or a mask and dress up Kimono.
Everyone, from child to adult, enjoyed this festival.
There are another traditional and famous festival in Oji. It is the first Horse Day Festival at Oji Inari shrine in February.
We, Kimono Dreamers, will also join the festival and dedicate our dance to gods in the shrine.
The festival is coming up this weekend 6th February!
Come to see us if you have a chance!
