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Day 3 |
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What's this? Fukagawa Hachiman Festival photos by Philbert Ono. Held in mid-August in Koto Ward, Tokyo, this is the festival's full-scale version held once every three years (1996, 1999, 2002, etc.).
Prayer Ceremony
Aug. 16, 1996
Toward the end of the ceremony, the head priest gave a short talk about shrine activities. He mentioned the shrine's participation in events in France and other countries. He is definitely internationally oriented. He spoke with a very benevolent tone of voice.
The head priest talking to the congregation. At Shinto ceremonies, they don't give sermons because there is no dogma, no Bible, and no sutras to chant.
Shrine priests are mainly ritualists who have been trained to conduct the ceremonies, rites, and festivals conducted by the shrine. They don't appear on television to propagate. (There is nothing to propagate anyway.) Shrine priests are allowed to marry and have a family.
Priests at smaller shrines usually have a full-time job elsewhere as a school teacher, etc. But those serving large shrines work full-time and have full-time employees. This shrine is one of the larger ones.
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Last modified: 2002-07-10
