Sunday Activities

I had an honour to carry a portable shrine, Mikoshi, on sunday evening.


The Portable Shrine.

All of us carriers got a uniform to wear: a happi-coat, shorts and these marvellous shoes, which we were allowed to keep after carrying. Before carrying we were served onigiris (rice balls), tea and sake. A guy told us how to carry the shrine and what to shout while carrying.


The carrying itself was a tough job. The shrine was heavy and though there were more than 50 persons to carry the shrine it didn't feel light even for a brief moment. Some smaller women hang from the shrine instead of carrying it. In spite of that it was fun. And the shouting was really really good for the soul.

We carried the Mikoshi to a gate of a shrine (a real unportable one) and there a blessing took place. Then we carried the thing back to where we strated. It took about 3 and half hours. The carrying is suppose to bring blessings and good luck to the whole neighbourhood - and in my opinion there are never too many blessings in this world, so I was happy to be part of that. Oh, and there were five other Mikoshis on the run with us. Some of them were visitors from other parts of Tokyo. It was all a big parade and there were lots of people watching the whole happening.

After the carrying we carriers were served more food and more sake. And the best of all: beer! Once we finished our out door meal we went to a public bath. It was my first time in such (I've been to a mountain hotel where I had a bath in onsen, but that was more private) and I enjoyed it a lot. They even had a small steam sauna. And no one kicked me out, though my tattoos were visible all the time.


Bruises.

At the bath I noticed that my shoulders were marked by the Mikoshi. Now I am still quite exhausted, though I've slept two nights after carrying the shrine. I seem to do all kinds of physically tough things here and Japan in a middle of all this housewifing. I wonder what'll be the next mission.