In contrast to the main shrine where there was a line, there was no one waiting in line at the temporary hall
I knew that this day was the National Foundation Day, but I was not aware that it was January 1 of the lunar calendar, the day on which Emperor Jinmu is said to have ascended to the throne. In other words, National Foundation Day corresponds to New Year's Day in the lunar calendar. I was reminded of this when I visited the Kashima Jingu Shrine in Kashima City. Even though it was a national holiday, I thought the shrine would not be so crowded, but it was overflowing with worshippers, and there was a long line from the Otorii gate through the roh-mon gate to the hall of worship. Seeing this situation, I realized for the first time that the National Foundation Day was the New Year of the lunar calendar. I realized that many people visit Hatsumode on the lunar New Year's day.
The line was so long that I gave up on visiting the main shrine soon after. I finished praying from a little distance away from the people in line, and was looking for a place to pray instead of the main shrine when I found a modest temporary shrine building nearby. Unlike the main shrine, where there was a long line of visitors, there was no one standing in line here. I walked quickly to the front of the shrine and paid my respects. The temporary hall is said to be used to temporarily enshrine the spirit of the gods during the construction of the main hall. This temporary hall was dedicated by Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun, when he built a new shrine in 1618. Although it is called "temporary," more than 400 years have already passed since it was built, so I thought it would be a good idea to remove the word "temporary" from the name.
| Aug 2024 IBARAKI IN THE CITY | |
| KASHIMA SHADOW SHRINE WORSHIPER |
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PHOTO DATA
No
12626
Shooting Date
Feb 2024
Posted On
August 10, 2024
Modified On
August 31, 2024
Place
Kashima, Ibaraki
Genre
Street Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R V
Lens
ZEISS BATIS 2/40 CF
