Kamiokoppe Jinjasai

Today was Kamiokoppe’s Jinjasai (shrine festival). The boys, Aaron, and I joined some locals and the school children in the procession around town. Ridge opted out of the outfit Holt is wearing. Instead, he agreed to wear a “happi”, which is a traditional festival jacket. I don’t know the name for the outfit Holt and the other small children are wearing. He simply said it was a “hero costume” and I didn’t argue with him.

During this festival, the portable shrine belonging to Kamiokoppe is carried around the streets to each neighborhood. At designated spots, tables with food offerings are set up in addition to a squared-off spot of ground which is a symbolic shrine. The local deity is said to ride on the portable shrine and the priest asks for it’s blessing at each spot. Then, the shrine bearers toss the shrine into the air while chanting encouragement. The deities are believed to enjoy this motion. The small children dressed as Holt represent something like Shinto angels who accompany the deity as it travels around town.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get any good shots of Holt. He was not happy with the idea of being photographed today, for some reason. The event culminated in a community lunch in the community center and some games for the kids which were held in the elementary school gym (due to rain).