Happy 2020 Everyone! We hope to make this year our most active yet on this blog!
皆さん明けましておめでとうございます！2020年もよろしくお願いします！今年こそこのブログでもっと活動できるように頑張りたいです！
We’re starting off the year the way many Japanese people do, at a shrine! In particular, Omi Jingu Shrine, one of the most prominent shrines in Otsu.
今年の最初の投稿は、日本人がよく年明けに神社でする初詣！今回は、大津の有名な近江神宮に行ってきました。
Omi Jingu Shrine was constructed in 1940 and is dedicated to Emperor Tenji, who moved the capital of Japan from Asuka to Otsu in the year 667. This shrine is located in roughly the same location of the former Omi Otsu Palace during Emperor Tenji’s reign, in the western Otsu, Otuskyo area.
近江神宮は1940年に創建され、667年に飛鳥から大津に遷都した天智天皇が祀られています。近江神宮は当時、天智天皇が治めていた近江大津宮があった大津京辺りに位置しています。
Omi Jingu Shrine is also known for, of all things, clocks. Emperor Tenji was known to be involved with the establishment of the first rokoku, or Japanese water clock system, and to this day Omi Jingu Shrine collects clocks of all shapes and sizes. On both the grounds and in their clock museum, one can find water clocks, sundials, fire clocks, and almost any other variety of historical or modern clock imaginable. Every year on June 10th, the Rokoku-sai, or “Clock Festival” is held at Omi Jingu Shrine.
近江神宮は意外と時計で有名です。天智天皇が日本の初めての漏刻を設置したため、今でも境内や時計館宝物館に水時計、日時計、火時計などから現代の時計まで色々な種類の時計が展示されています。毎年の6月10日に漏刻祭というイベントも開催されます。
Another event that takes place every year at Omi Jingu is Yabusame, or horseback archery. This exciting event takes place every year on the first Sunday of June, and attracts crowds of people of all ages. This is a somewhat rare event to see, so if you happen to be in the area in early June, we definitely recommend you attend!
もう一つ6月に開催される行事は近江神宮の流鏑馬。毎年6月の最初の日曜日に開催され、子供でも大人でもたくさんの人々を誘致するイベントです。なかなか見ることができないイベントなので、6月初旬に滋賀の辺りに来ることがあれば、ぜひ見に来てください。
Perhaps what this shrine is most widely known for to this day is the Japanese competitive card game, “Karuta.” The game uses a collection of 100 Japanese poems, called the hyakunin-isshu. Each poem is divided into a first part and second part, each written on a card. Players arrange randomized cards that contain the second parts of poems out in front of them, and listen for a third party to call out the first part of a poem. The objective is to be the first to touch (or slap) the correct corresponding second half of the poem. The first player to no longer have cards in front of them is the winner.
最近、近江神宮は「競技かるた」というゲームで幅広く知られています。選手が百人一首の下の句のカードを混ぜてから一人ずつ25枚を取り、自分の前に好きな場所に並びます。読み手が百人一首の歌の上の句を一つ読みます。目的は読まれた歌の下の句を先に触れ、自分の前に並んであるカードをなくすことです。先に自分の前にあるカードが全部なくなった方の勝ち。
If you have any questions about Omi Jingu Shrine or its many events, please leave a comment! And be sure to check out our video if you haven’t already.
Happy New Year!
近江神宮や行事について何か質問があれば、ぜひコメントを残してください！動画もぜひご覧ください！
Yo! Biwako 