Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri
[:it]Ogni festival in Giappone è esageratamente attraente, in particolare l’Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri. Tradizioni così diverse e lontane dalle nostre che meritano di essere vissute almeno una volta. Colori, vivacità e spiritualità si mescolano in un vortice di emozioni che solo il Sol Levante è capace di infondere.
photo credits: matcha-jp.com, gaijinpot.com
Il patrimonio culturale intangibile dalle origini sacre
Da più di 700 anni, L’Hakata Gion Yamakasa si celebra nel quartiere di Hakata (Fukuoka) nel periodo dal 1 al 15 luglio. Designato come “patrimonio culturale intangibile” dall’Agenzia degli Affari Culturali, questo festival trae le sue origini nel 13° secolo quando un’epidemia di peste colpì la città. La popolazione si rivolse al monaco buddista Shoichi Kokusgu affinchè pregasse per porre fine alla pestilenza. Il monaco venne fatto salire su una piattaforma e venne trasportato per tutta la città aspergendo le vie con l’acqua sacra. Al termine del giro, la piattaforma venne gettata e la peste scomparve completamente.
photo credits: Pascal, otsukarekun
Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri: L’imperdibile dimostrazione di forza
Nel periodo in cui il festival si svolge, la frenesia pervade le strade di Hakata. Infatti, più di un milioni di persone si preparano per assistere alle celebrazioni consistenti in una corsa di carri!
photo credits: japanbullet.com, goodlucktripjapan.com
I partecipanti, che in questo caso sono esclusivamente uomini, sono organizzati in 7 Nagare (squadre): Daikoku, Higashi, Nakasu, Nishi, Chiyo, Ebisu e Doi. L’1 ed il 2 luglio ogni distretto conduce il proprio carro riccamente decorato, il kazariyama, che resta in mostra per una settimana. Si celebra così lo Oshioitori, ovvero la purificazione dei membri delle 7 nagare. Dopo la preghiera, queste squadre si spostano poi dal tempio Kushida e si recano alla spiaggia di Hakozakihama. Qui prendono della sabbia per applaudire al sole che tramonta. Ognuno di essi indossa uno mizuhappi (una giacca corta), un shimekomi (il perizoma) ed una tenugui (una fascia sul capo che cambia colore a secondo del ruolo rivestito).
photo credits: shin7d
Gli Allenamenti dell’Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri
Trattandosi di una corsa con i carri in cui il vincitore sarà chi avrà percorso 5 km nel minor tempo possibile, i partecipanti devono essere pronti per il gran finale. Si comincia infatti con il Nagaregaki, il momento in cui ogni squadra solleverà il proprio carro per la prima volta percorrendo le strade del proprio rione. Il giorno successivo è il momento dello Asayama e del Tanagaregaki: gli anziani ricevono il rispetto dei più giovani e vengono fatti accomodare sopra il kazariyama trasportati per i rioni degli avversari.
Il giorno dopo ancora tocca allo Oiyama-narashi che inizia precisamente alle 15:59. Questa è una sorta di prova generale in cui la corsa viene cronometrata, aumentando così la tensione e lo spirito di competizione che ormai comincia a serpeggiare tra le Nagare.
photo credits: shin7d, tak_orange
Gli ultimi 3 giorni sono i più impegnativi. Durante lo Shudan Yamamise il kazariyama attraversa il fiume Naka entrando a Fukuoka. Durante questo evento, il sindaco e le personalità della città fanno un giro di 1,2 km a bordo del carro. Il penultimo giorno è quello di Nagaregaki, cioè l’ultimo allenamento. Finalmente, il 15 luglio alle 4.59 del mattino ha inizio il Kushida-iri. Il primo carro scatta veloce, seguito dal secondo dopo 6 minuti e tutti gli altri ogni 5 minuti. La corsa di 5 km decreterà la squadra vincitrice.
photo credits: tak_orange
Raggiungere Hakata
Il festival si svolge nel quartiere Hakata di Fukuoka. Il santuario di Kushida si trova a cinque minuti a piedi da Canal City Hakata o dalla stazione della metropolitana di Gion. In alternativa si può raggiungere a 15-20 minuti a piedi dalla stazione di Hakata. E’ infatti conveniente percorrere 10 minuti a piedi dalla stazione di JR Hakata, per il santuario Kushida. Oppure potete arrivarci con la linea Kûkô-sen della metropolitana, scendere alla stazione “Nakasu kawabata” e percorrere 5 minuti a piedi.
photo credits: japancheapo.com, otsukarekun
[:en]Every festival in Japan is overly attractive, especially the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri. Traditions so different and distant from ours that they deserve to be lived at least once. Colors, vivacity, and spirituality are mixed in a vortex of emotions that only the Rising Sun is able to offer.
photo credits: matcha-jp.com, gaijinpot.com
The intangible cultural heritage of sacred origins
For more than 700 years, Hakata Gion Yamakasa has been celebrated in the Hakata (Fukuoka) district from 1 to 15 July. Designated as “intangible cultural heritage” by the Cultural Affairs Agency, this festival has its origins in the 13th century when a plague epidemic struck the city. The population turned to the Buddhist monk Shoichi Kokusgu to pray for the plague to end. The monk was let up on a platform and was transported throughout the city by sprinkling the streets with sacred water. At the end of the tour, the platform was thrown away and the plague disappeared completely.
photo credits: Pascal, otsukarekun
Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri: The unmissable demonstration of strength
In the period in which the festival takes place, the frenzy pervades the streets of Hakata discrict. In fact, more than one million people are preparing to attend the celebrations consisting of a chariot race!
photo credits: japanbullet.com, goodlucktripjapan.com
The participants, who in this case are exclusively men, are organized in 7 Nagare (teams): Daikoku, Higashi, Nakasu, Nishi, Chiyo, Ebisu and Doi. On 1 and 2 July, each district carries its own richly decorated cart, the Kazariyama, which remains on display for a week. Thus the Oshioitori is celebrated, that is the purification of the members of the 7 Nagare. After the prayer, these teams then move from the Kushida temple and go to Hakozakihama beach. Here they take sand to applaud the setting sun. Each of them wears a Mizuhappi (a short jacket), a Shimekomi (the loincloth) and a Tenugui (a band on the head that changes color according to the role played).
photo credits: shin7d
Training for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri
Consisting of a race with wagons in which the winner will be those who have traveled 5 km in the shortest possible time, the participants must be ready for the grand finale. It begins with the Nagaregaki, the moment in which each team raises its wagon for the first time along the streets of its own district.
The next day is the time of the Asayama and the Tanagaregaki: the elderly receive the respect of the youngest and are able to sit on the Kazariyama transported in the opponents’ neighborhoods.
The next day it is still the turn of the Oiyama-Narashi which starts precisely at 3.59 pm. This is a sort of general rehearsal in which the race is timed, thus increasing the tension and the spirit of competition that now begins to meander through the Nagare.
photo credits: shin7d, tak_orange
The last 3 days are the most challenging. During Shudan Yamamise the Kazariyama crosses the Naka river entering Fukuoka. During this event, the mayor and city personalities take a 1.2 km ride on the wagon. The penultimate day is that of Nagaregaki, the last training. Finally, on July 15th at 4.59 am Kushida-iri begins. The first wagon fires fast, followed by the second after 6 minutes and all the others every 5 minutes. The 5 km run will decide the winning team.
photo credits: tak_orange
Reach Hakata
The festival takes place in the Hakata district of Fukuoka. Kushida Shrine is a five-minute walk from Canal City Hakata or Gion Subway Station. Alternatively, you can reach Hakata station within a 15-20 minute walk. It is convenient to walk 10 minutes from JR Hakata station to the Kushida Shrine. Or you can get there with the Kûkô-sen subway line, get off at “Nakasu Kawabata” station and walk for 5 minutes.
photo credits: japancheapo.com, otsukarekun
[:ja]Every festival in Japan is overly attractive, especially the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri. Traditions so different and distant from ours that they deserve to be lived at least once. Colors, vivacity, and spirituality are mixed in a vortex of emotions that only the Rising Sun is able to offer.
photo credits: matcha-jp.com, gaijinpot.com
The intangible cultural heritage of sacred origins
For more than 700 years, Hakata Gion Yamakasa has been celebrated in the Hakata (Fukuoka) district from 1 to 15 July. Designated as “intangible cultural heritage” by the Cultural Affairs Agency, this festival has its origins in the 13th century when a plague epidemic struck the city. The population turned to the Buddhist monk Shoichi Kokusgu to pray for the plague to end. The monk was let up on a platform and was transported throughout the city by sprinkling the streets with sacred water. At the end of the tour, the platform was thrown away and the plague disappeared completely.
photo credits: Pascal, otsukarekun
Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri: The unmissable demonstration of strength
In the period in which the festival takes place, the frenzy pervades the streets of Hakata discrict. In fact, more than one million people are preparing to attend the celebrations consisting of a chariot race!
photo credits: japanbullet.com, goodlucktripjapan.com
The participants, who in this case are exclusively men, are organized in 7 Nagare (teams): Daikoku, Higashi, Nakasu, Nishi, Chiyo, Ebisu and Doi. On 1 and 2 July, each district carries its own richly decorated cart, the Kazariyama, which remains on display for a week. Thus the Oshioitori is celebrated, that is the purification of the members of the 7 Nagare. After the prayer, these teams then move from the Kushida temple and go to Hakozakihama beach. Here they take sand to applaud the setting sun. Each of them wears a Mizuhappi (a short jacket), a Shimekomi (the loincloth) and a Tenugui (a band on the head that changes color according to the role played).
photo credits: shin7d
Training for the Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri
Consisting of a race with wagons in which the winner will be those who have traveled 5 km in the shortest possible time, the participants must be ready for the grand finale. It begins with the Nagaregaki, the moment in which each team raises its wagon for the first time along the streets of its own district.
The next day is the time of the Asayama and the Tanagaregaki: the elderly receive the respect of the youngest and are able to sit on the Kazariyama transported in the opponents’ neighborhoods.
The next day it is still the turn of the Oiyama-Narashi which starts precisely at 3.59 pm. This is a sort of general rehearsal in which the race is timed, thus increasing the tension and the spirit of competition that now begins to meander through the Nagare.
photo credits: shin7d, tak_orange
The last 3 days are the most challenging. During Shudan Yamamise the Kazariyama crosses the Naka river entering Fukuoka. During this event, the mayor and city personalities take a 1.2 km ride on the wagon. The penultimate day is that of Nagaregaki, the last training. Finally, on July 15th at 4.59 am Kushida-iri begins. The first wagon fires fast, followed by the second after 6 minutes and all the others every 5 minutes. The 5 km run will decide the winning team.
photo credits: tak_orange
Reach Hakata
The festival takes place in the Hakata district of Fukuoka. Kushida Shrine is a five-minute walk from Canal City Hakata or Gion Subway Station. Alternatively, you can reach Hakata station within a 15-20 minute walk. It is convenient to walk 10 minutes from JR Hakata station to the Kushida Shrine. Or you can get there with the Kûkô-sen subway line, get off at “Nakasu Kawabata” station and walk for 5 minutes.
photo credits: japancheapo.com, otsukarekun
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