Otho Matsuri(御燈祭り) was held in Kamikura shrine(神倉神社/Shinto shrine) on February 6th, 2019.
Kamikura shrine is in Shingu city, Wakayama in Japan. Wakayama is south of Osaka.
Otho Matsuri is a traditional Shinto festival celebrating the New Year.
It is said that the festival is a history of more than 1400 years.
The festival has been designated as an important intangible folk cultural property.
In this festival, men who are called Agariko(上り子) go to Kumano Hayatama shrine(熊野速玉大社/Shinto shrine), Asuka shrine(阿須賀神社/Shinto shrine), myoshinji(妙心寺/Buddhist temple), and finally they go to Kamikura shrine. They dress in white and have torches which the word of prayer was written. After sunset, they light the torches and run down a steep stone stairs of Kamikura shrine. There are 538 steps.
That sight is called kudari ryu(like dragon going down). *The Japanese think that the dragon is sacred and they are the objects of worship.
After Agariko running down a steep stone stairs, priests of the Shinto shrine go to Asuka shrine and perfom a ritual. Finally they go to Kumano Hayatama shrine and perform the same ritual.
Anyone except women ,even the tourists can become Agariko and join the festival. But you need to prepare formal(only white things, you can wear), ropes, torches. And you must to practice Shinto religion(ShojinKessai(精進潔斎) ) for a week before the festival. ShojinKessai means that eating only white things(like rice, salt) and not touching women.
Women cannot become Agariko or enter Kamikura mountain all afternoon of the festival day.
In the past, woman had waited at home while the festival held. And agariko(man) delivered a fire to the house after the festival. Traditionally woman cannot become agariko.
↓Agariko. dressed in white and rope around the belly. torch in hand.
