Thursday, July 24, 2014

(603) Kashima Jingu #4


Kashima Jingu and the deity enshrined there, Takemikazuchi Okami (武甕槌大神) have an age-old relationship to martial arts; it is no surprise then that every year on the second Sunday of June the shrine holds a “martial arts’ day” (budo no hi/武道の日) festival with demonstrations by the martial arts schools connected to it (Kashima Shinto-ryu, Kashima Shin-ryu, Tenshinsho-den Katori Shinto-ryu etc.) In the picture, a group of archers praying at the shrine before starting a ceremonial competition called “momote shiki” (百手式).

(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr)

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