[:it]Kitsunebi Matsuri, quando il folklore prende vita[:en]Kitsunebi Matsuri, when folklore comes to life[:ja]Kitsunebi Matsuri, when folklore comes to life[:]
[:it]Nell’antico folklore giapponese, il Kitsunebi (狐火, fuoco di volpe) era uno yōkai che, durante la notte, appariva improvvisamente sotto forma di luce incandescente dal colore rosso-arancione e talvolta anche blu. I Kitsunebi aumentavano gradualmente fino a coprire vaste aree, raggiungendo anche i 4km! Si credeva che fossero torce di una processione di volpi che marciavano per le proprie nozze. Le luci venivano avvistate dagli agricoltori sulle montagne ed erano considerate un buon presagio per il raccolto. Infatti, maggiore era il numero di luci vista, più fruttuoso era il raccolto. Tuttavia a nessun umano era concesso di avvicinarsi: coloro che ci provavano erano condannati a svanire.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
In particolare, nelle storie si racconta del matrimonio tra Otonosama, il re che viveva a Furukawa, e Okon, la figlia del dio volpe. Questa affascinante immagine è l’origine su cui affonda le sue radici l’Hida Furukawa Kitsunebi Matsuri (騨古川きつね火まつり). Questo festival si celebra ogni anno, il quarto sabato di settembre a Hida Furukawa, cittadina pittoresca e rurale ricca di splendidi paesaggi, dove ancora oggi si respira una vita lontana dalla frenesia delle metropoli.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
Felicità e prosperità!
Come quasi tutti i festival a cui ormai siamo abituati, anche il Kitsunebi Matsuri ha come scopo le benedizioni per il raccolto, la felicità e la prosperità per le famiglie.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
Ma in cosa consiste esattamente il Kitsunebi Matsuri?
Prima di tutto, tutti i partecipanti hanno i baffi di volpe disegnati sul volto, che sia bambini o anziani, negozianti sulla strada oppure turisti. Si comincia con la benedizione delle imprese locali: i danzatori trasportano porta a porta un dongamaki, serpente di corda lungo 5 metri.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
Dopo di chè ha inizio l’evento principale. Su due piedi si potrebbe dire che si tratti di un matrimonio, ma non uno comune, bensì una processione solenne in cui si celebrano le nozze delle volpi, il Kitsune no Yomeiri.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
I futuri sposi, una coppia legata nella vita reale, vengono scelti da un pool di candidati a livello nazionale nella cittadina in cui si terrà la cerimonia nuziale. La lunga marcia condurrà la sposa dallo sposo al calare della notte, quando il Kistunebi ha inizio (una fiaccolata). Coloro che assistono a tutta la processione saranno benedetti e potranno esprimere un desiderio come un buon raccolto, oppure la felicità per la propria famiglia o la prosperità negli affari.
photo credits: tokyopic.com
Una romantica curiosità
Dal 1392, per tutto il periodo Muromachi fino alla fine del XIX secolo, quando le cerimonie nuziali occidentali sostituirono le tradizionali cerimonie giapponesi, i matrimoni si tenevano di notte e la sposa veniva scortata nella sua nuova casa da una parata di luci.[:en]In ancient Japanese folklore, the Kitsunebi (狐火, foxfire) was a yōkai that, overnight, suddenly appeared as a glowing red-orange and sometimes blue light. The Kitsunebi gradually increased to cover vast areas, reaching even 4km! It was believed that they were torches of a procession of foxes marching for their wedding. The lights were sighted by farmers in the mountains and were considered a good harbinger for the harvest. In fact, the greater the number of lights seen, the more fruitful was the harvest. However, no human was allowed to approach: those who tried were condemned to vanish.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
In particular, the stories tell of the marriage between Otonosama, the king who lived in Furukawa, and Okon, the daughter of the fox God. This fascinating image is the origin of the Hida Furukawa Kitsunebi Matsuri (騨古川きつね火まつり). This festival is celebrated every year, on the fourth Saturday of September in Hida Furukawa, a picturesque and rural town full of beautiful landscapes, where even today you can breathe a life far from the frenzy of the metropolis.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
Happiness and prosperity!
Like almost all the festivals we are used to now, the Kitsunebi Matsuri also aims to bless the harvest, happiness and prosperity for families.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
But what exactly does the Kitsunebi Matsuri consist of??
First of all, all the participants have fox mustaches drawn on their faces, be they children or elderly, shopkeepers on the road or tourists. It begins with the blessing of local businesses: the dancers carry a dongamaki, a 5 meter long snake, door to door.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
After that the main event begins. We could say that it is a marriage, but not a common one, but a solemn procession in which the foxes’ wedding is celebrated, the Kitsune no Yomeiri.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
The future spouses, a couple bound in real life, are chosen by a pool of candidates at the national level in the town where the wedding ceremony will be held. The long march will lead the bride to the groom as night falls when the Kistunebi begins (a torchlight procession). Those who attend the whole procession will be blessed and can make a wish like a good harvest, or happiness for their family or prosperity in business.
photo credits: tokyopic.com
A romantic curiosity
From 1392, throughout the Muromachi period until the end of the nineteenth century, when Western wedding ceremonies replaced traditional Japanese ceremonies, weddings were held at night and the bride was escorted to her new home by a parade of lights.[:ja]In ancient Japanese folklore, the Kitsunebi (狐火, foxfire) was a yōkai that, overnight, suddenly appeared as a glowing red-orange and sometimes blue light. The Kitsunebi gradually increased to cover vast areas, reaching even 4km! It was believed that they were torches of a procession of foxes marching for their wedding. The lights were sighted by farmers in the mountains and were considered a good harbinger for the harvest. In fact, the greater the number of lights seen, the more fruitful was the harvest. However, no human was allowed to approach: those who tried were condemned to vanish.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
In particular, the stories tell of the marriage between Otonosama, the king who lived in Furukawa, and Okon, the daughter of the fox God. This fascinating image is the origin of the Hida Furukawa Kitsunebi Matsuri (騨古川きつね火まつり). This festival is celebrated every year, on the fourth Saturday of September in Hida Furukawa, a picturesque and rural town full of beautiful landscapes, where even today you can breathe a life far from the frenzy of the metropolis.
photo credits: tradurreilgiappone.com
Happiness and prosperity!
Like almost all the festivals we are used to now, the Kitsunebi Matsuri also aims to bless the harvest, happiness and prosperity for families.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
But what exactly does the Kitsunebi Matsuri consist of??
First of all, all the participants have fox mustaches drawn on their faces, be they children or elderly, shopkeepers on the road or tourists. It begins with the blessing of local businesses: the dancers carry a dongamaki, a 5 meter long snake, door to door.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
After that the main event begins. We could say that it is a marriage, but not a common one, but a solemn procession in which the foxes’ wedding is celebrated, the Kitsune no Yomeiri.
photo credits: myjapantravels.wordpress.com
The future spouses, a couple bound in real life, are chosen by a pool of candidates at the national level in the town where the wedding ceremony will be held. The long march will lead the bride to the groom as night falls when the Kistunebi begins (a torchlight procession). Those who attend the whole procession will be blessed and can make a wish like a good harvest, or happiness for their family or prosperity in business.
photo credits: tokyopic.com
A romantic curiosity
From 1392, throughout the Muromachi period until the end of the nineteenth century, when Western wedding ceremonies replaced traditional Japanese ceremonies, weddings were held at night and the bride was escorted to her new home by a parade of lights.[:]