Yabusame Performance

Sorry for my absence from the blogging scene...

Yesterday we were at Nakamura Hachimangu (中村八幡宮) in Moka city to participate in Rei Taisai (例大祭). This festival is one of our favorite matsuri. They provide with bunch of events, Yabusame (流鏑馬), Daidai Kagura (太々神楽), sword performance named Batto Embu Taikai (抜刀演舞大会), and mikoshi procession, of course.

Have a nice week.

Yabusame Performance

Yabusame (流鏑馬) performance was dedicated to the Shinto deity, Toyokiiribiko (豊城入彦命), at Futaarayama Shrine (二荒山神社) in Utsunomiya downtown.
The performance took place last November during Kikusui Festival (菊水祭) but the photo I'm posting today...

Why?

I have been thinking about "Sacred horse" and "Ema (絵馬)" today. Lina, one of the lovely participants in "Show Me Japan", posted a beautiful B&W photo of "Ema" on her blog and I left a comment on it. Then I was asked to elaborate on this issue. And so I did with its historical background included.

Today on my blog, I might as well post a photo of an archer shooting an arrow while riding on a sacred horse!


This is a Camera Critters #144 and Sunday In My City entry.