5月15日、
上賀茂神社さんより、「賀茂祭（葵祭）」の勅祭（社頭の儀）に
ご招待いただきました。

賀茂祭は勅使（天皇のお使い）が派遣されて執行される祭儀です。
「宮中の儀」、「路頭の儀」、「社頭の儀」のこれら3つの儀を統合し、
「賀茂祭（葵祭）」と称されています。

勅祭（社頭の儀）は祭りの見どころでもある、
勅使をはじめ検非違使、内蔵使、山城使、牛車、風流傘、斎王代など、
平安貴族そのままの姿で約500名が御所から下鴨神社、
上賀茂神社に到着された後に行われる儀式で、
神前で勅使の祝詞の奏上、東遊舞の奉納、走馬の儀などの儀式が行われます。

京都に30年以上住んでいながら、
こちらの儀式をじっくり見たのは初めてでした。

長い歴史の中で社会的な情勢のため、
執り行われなかった時期もあるそうですが
今なお伝統を守りつづけられている事に深く感銘を受けました。

上賀茂神社さん、
素敵な機会をいただきまして誠にありがとうございました。

• 「走馬の儀式」をLSTのインスタグラムとfacebookで
  UPさせていただいております　よろしければご覧くださいませ

LST WEDDING 　N

KAMO-MATSURI FESTIVAL OF KAMIGAMO SHRINE

On May 15th, we were invited by Kamigamo shrine to “Chokusai”and a ceremony called “Shatoh no ghi” which was a part of “Kamo-matsuri”.
(Kamo-matsuri is another name of Aoi-matsuri.)

“Chokusai” is a name of festivals to which an imperial envoy attends.
“Kamo-matsuri (=Aoi Matsuri)” consists of three ceremonies; “Kyuchu no ghi”, “Rotoh no ghi” and “Shatoh no ghi”.

“Shatoh no ghi” is a ceremony taken place after the procession of about 500 people reaches Kamigamo shrine.
The procession starts from Imperial Palace, then proceeds to Shimogamo shrine and arrive at Kamigamo shrine.
They are in disguise an imperial envoy, Kebi-ishi, Kura-zukai, Yamashiro-tsukai, Saioh-dai with items like Gissha and Furyu-gasa and they look like the real ones from Heian period.
The envoy serves Shinto prayers “Norito” for the god and “Azuma-asobi no mai (dance)” is performed. And other ceremonies like “Souma no ghi” follow.

It was the first time for me to watch these ceremonies closely.

Although there was a time when the ceremonies were suspended due to social conditions during the long history of the festival, I was deeply impressed by the fact that the tradition has been inherited until now.

I would like to thank Kamigamo shrine for giving me such a precious opportunity.

• Please have a look of photos of “Souma no ghi” posted on Instagram and facebook of LST.

By N / LST Wedding