REKIHAKU

No.157 A Witness to History

A photographic introduction to items from the collection
Folk Study Videos Hana-e-shiki at Yakushiji Temple – The Ceremony and People behind the Scenes –
Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine – Amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism and People behind the Scenes –

The National Museum of Japanese History has been producing folk study videos every year since 1988. An integral part of the museum’s research and documentation of Japanese folk culture, these video materials are stored in an archive open to the public. Since 2005, the project has been carried out on an ongoing basis as part of the museum’s collaborative research activities.

In 2007, two videos entitled “Hana-e-shiki at Yakushiji Temple – The Ceremony and People behind the Scenes” and “Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine – Amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism and People behind the Scenes,” were produced by Koichi Matsuo. The videos look at annual events held today at temples and shrines like Kofukuji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Yakushiji Temple in Nara with focus on the people behind them.

The annual events featured in the videos are ceremonies that have been performed at each temple and shrine since ancient times. Japan’s historical rulers viewed the Buddhist ideology behind these age-old events as a way to maintain peace and prosperity throughout the land. These temples differ from many of the temples built after the Kamakura Period that perform funeral and memorial services, etc. for the public. Unlike temples in Kamakura, these temples do not have any danka or danna, i.e. households that are affiliated with a specific temple and provide financial support. Instead they have people called doji or dodoji, who are typically members of specific families and provide assistance for their temple. These people have worked very hard over the ages （more than a thousand years in some cases） to keep the tradition alive.

While ancient Buddhist temples in Nara have been the subject of countless TV programs and documentaries, the focus has almost always been either on the aesthetics of the architectural structures and statues of Buddha, tourism or interest in the history of Buddhism. The vital behind-the-scenes role played by the doji or dodoji has been almost entirely overlooked.

Spotlighting unique aspects of Shinto-Buddhism amalgamation and folk rituals, the video explores how these rituals and ceremonies （steeped in Buddhist ideology and historically used to maintain nationwide peace）, which eventually became established as regular local events, have been transformed as they were passed down and are performed today. Viewers are provided with an in-depth look at the major role the carpenters and tile makers who have built and maintained these architectural structures play in the temple events.

Hana-e-shiki at Yakushiji Temple – The Ceremony and People behind the Scenes –

Hana-e-shiki, or the Flower Ceremony, is Yakushiji Temple’s largest annual event that runs for seven days from late March through early April. During this seven-day event, which dates back to Japan’s Heian Period, rengyoshu （specially selected monks who participate in the ceremony） perform the repentance ritual throughout the day and night. Various other esoteric Buddhist and folk rituals are also performed. These include the rite of taking precepts, establishment of the sacred boundary （kekkai） by the Dharani Master, the go-o empowerment rite, dispensation of holy water to believers, offerings to deities, and the Oni-oi-shiki, etc. a ritual for dispelling devils.

The video provides an up-close look at the entire event as well as the roles played by the people called dodoji who work behind the scenes to assist the monks with preparations for the event. Today at Yakushiji Temple, the role of the dodoji is fulfilled by the local Ueda family. The family not only plays a supportive role, but also takes part in the religious practices such as making gohei, paper streamers that are attached to straw ropes （shime） used to mark the kekkai precincts, as well as affixing stamps on the go-o hoin talismans. The Hashimoto family has been making artificial flowers used in the ceremony for generations. Up until World War II, the family engaged in the preparation of Chinese herbal medicines for people visiting Yakushiji Temple, and served as the vital bridge linking the temple with the larger community as a whole.

[Video Contents]

1. Prologue and overview of Hana-e-shiki
2. Hashimoto family making artificial flowers
3. Preparing for Hana-e-shiki: making rice cakes, ceremonious cleaning ritual （ominugui） and making artificial flowers
4. The first day of Hana-e-shiki, visiting the temple, rite of taking precepts
5. Repentance rituals 1: Rituals performed by the Jidoshi, printing go-o hoin and practicing shomyo chanting
6. Repentance rituals 2: Rituals performed by the Daidoshi, daylight rituals and dedication ceremony, making stage torches and fire alters （gomadan） for the homa ritual
7. Final day, devils’ ritual sharing of sake, making of deity offerings, final day rituals （fire ceremony, dispensation of holy water, affixing stamps on go-o hoin）
8. Oni-oi-shiki

The video was produced in cooperation with the Nara National Museum and Yakushiji Temple （main temple of the Hosso sect）.

Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine – Amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism and People behind the Scenes –

Kofukuji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine share common grounds. The ceremonies held there weave elements of both Shintoism and Buddhism into a rich tapestry that has been passed down through the ages. In these ceremonies lie the ancient and medieval roots of traditional Japanese performing arts. Among some of the dances are the bugaku （originally from continental Asia）, an Okina-mai （a Noh play dance performed by a character wearing an old man’s mask） called “Shushi Hashiri,” the miko-kagura （a dance performed by shrine maidens）, as well as the tsuina to exorcise demons. The video highlights the artisans who not only set the stage for this event but are its main actors who are keeping the tradition alive for future generations.

One of these artisans is Hiroyuki Suzuki, a tile maker who works for Yamamoto Kawara Kogyo. The company has been providing the roof tiles for some of the biggest Buddhist temples in Nara such as Todaiji, Horyuji and Kofukuji temples since the Edo Period. Tile makers like Suzuki have been the linchpin to the rituals and ceremonies performed at Kofukuji Temple, etc. serving as the retsu-bugyo, the person who leads the procession of monks during Buddhist ceremonies, and playing the role of Vaisravana or the demon during the Oni-oi-shiki.

[Video Contents]

1. Narazuhiko Shrine: Okina-mai
2. Kasuga Taisha Shrine: Shushi Hashiri ceremony, Takigi Noh （bonfire Noh performance） at Kofukuji Temple, Shuni-e and tsuina at Kofukuji Temple
3. Kasuga Taisha Shrine: Kasuga Wakamiya Festival
4. Kasuga Taisha Shrine: Kofukuji Temple and amalgamation of Shinto and Buddhism
5. Jion-ne ceremony at Kofukuji Temple

The video was produced in cooperation with Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Kofukuji Temple （main temple of the Hosso sect）, Narazuhiko Shrine, Okina-mai Hozonkai, Takigi O-noh Hozonkai, Tourism Section of the Nara Municipal Office, Yamamoto Kawara Kogyo Co., Ltd. and Yakushiji Temple （main temple of the Hosso sect）.

Koichi Matsuo