OGASAWARA-RYU

Japanese Ceremonial Occasions and Year Round Events

Betrothal Presents and Weddings

Betrothal meetings are held by a lot of the Japanese when the couple's engagement is for certain. At betrothal ceremonies or meetings, they celebrate this fortunate matter by saying "ikuhisashiku" meaning something similar to "for a long time". When the matchmaker says, "On account of today's of good omen, as a mark of betrothal promise I have brought a relation document and betrothal as the list of betrothal states. Please accept them eternally (ikuhisashiku).", father of a bride will accept the list with a bow and answer "Thank you for making us a present of betrothal goods and a relation document. We will accept them eternally (ikuhisashiku)." As a token of acceptance, father of the bride will hand the receipt and the betrothal gifts to the matchmaker.

A set of betrothal gifts with nine items

Traditional Wedding Ceremony in Ogasawara Etiquette

This illustration is a Shikisankon ceremony which is a traditional ceremony that has been practical since ancient times when a women from a warrior class family gets married.

This ceremony originated in warrior class families in ancient times and was widely.

Standardized. Over time the ceremony spread into the practice of ordinary families.

The custom has been handed down from generation to generation and evolved into a much simpler form.

Uikyo no gi

Uikyo no gi is a ceremony where the bride and bridegroom respectively exchange special gifts called noshi. The gifts are proved on a pedestal called a sanbou. Sanbou are made of stretched abalone and are often used when making offerings to God. This practice is based on the idea the God and man share the meal.

Aikyo no gi

When a bride gets married, it is believed that the God of her religion is also marrying her groom. The bride brings a charm known as the Aikyo no moribukuro which represents her God to the house of the groom. It is the groom's house where the ceremony is held. .In the ceremony the bride takes off the charm and hands it to the groom. After he receives it, he puts it in a shrine located in an alcove in the house.

Miki utushi no gi

To perform the Sankon no Gi, Miki (God's liquor is poured from a jar called Heishi which is decorated with Heishiguchi of Mecho and Ocho (female and male butterflies).Mecho and Ocho literally mean female and male butterfly, however, Mecho and Ocho are not really butterflies, rather they are the moths of silkworms. Just as silkworms pair together to produce a cocoon that becomes beautiful silk, Mecho and Ocho symbolize the hopes of a prosperous relationship between the bride and groom.

By emptying sake offered before the alter (sacred drink) from heishi with male, female butterfly drawn on the mouth of it, to the hisage sake bottle, Sankon no Gi (this Gi is a small ceremonial affair) is held with this sacred sake. Male and female butterflies are not butterflies but silkworms which symbolizes the wish for many children from its' cocoons.

Hikiwatashi

As Sankon no gi progresses maids bring out trays called osaenomono that have three different kinds of relishes on them.

Sankon no gi

Shiki Sankon is a ceremony where a cup of holy liquor is received by the bride and groom, a practice that has been done since ancient times in Japan.

In private ceremony called In-no-shiki , the bride takes the first sip from a cup called a sakazuki and then hands it over to the groom. The groom received it and takes a second and third sip. He then hands it back to the bride. The bride takes the fourth and fifth sip and hands it back to the groom again. The groom takes the last sip and puts the cup down.

During the exchange of the cup, the Osaenomono is brought over and the bride and groom each take a relish. The tradition of taking three sips of Miki and eating one relish is called Ikkon. This series of events is performed a second time only this time the groom stars the ceremony and a different kind of relish is served at the end. A third sankon is performed and the bride starts it again., and a third relish is served at the end. After sharing a cup, taking three sips each, and doing this three time over, the ceremony of San-san-kudo is completed> By sharing Miki alone, their marriage has begun.

In-you musubi

After sankon- no-gi is completed, two witness called honsyaku and jisyaku bring the chosi back. Essentially, honsyaku and jisyaku should not intersect but at wedding ceremonies, the couple returns intersecting. This affair is called musubi-no-shaku or In-you musubi which symbolizes the couple's eternal bond.

Five Major Festivals (Gosekku)

From the ancient times, Japanese has been celebrating events which indicate the seasonal changes. Among them, there are five major festivals called "Gosekku"(Jinjitsu, Joushi, Tango, Tanabata, Chouyou). "Gosekku" are celebrated at the change of seasons (January 7, March 3, May 5, July 7, September 9), and the Japanese offer seasonal offerings before the alter.

Until 1873 (year 6 in Meiji period), it was recognized as a formal event but even hundred years after its' repeal, they are celebrated by many Japanese families. The Japanese has been making more of its nature through out the four seasons and its calendar.

JINJITSU (Jan.7)

One of them is celebrated on January 7, when the Japanese eat "Nanakusa-gayu", a rice porridge with seven kinds of herb. It is said that if this porridge is eaten on this day, it would keep away misfortune, evil spirits, as well as diseases. A prayer for safety is given on this day.

JOUSHI (March 3)

This day is called the Festival for Girls or Festival of Peaches. Today, it is familiar as the Doll's Festival. Families with daughters would celebrate this day by displaying a set of Japanese dolls praying for their daughter's growth.

TANGO (May 5)

Today, it is known as the Boy's day. Families with sons would celebrate by displaying a boy samurai doll or putting up a carp streamer which symbolizes the vigorous growth of their sons. Originally, May was said to be an evil month in ancient China. Ancient Chinese celebrated May as a month to welcome the rice field god so there were some festivals in connection with this saying.

TANABATA (July 7)

As mentioned before, this day was said to be an evil day according to the lunar calendar. Today, this day is famous for the romantic legend of Orihime (princess) and Hikoboshi and it is believed that the two tragic couple could meet only on this day across the Milky Way once a year if the weather turns out to be fair. Originally, in old Japan, the Japanese used to eat sweets made out of kneaded rice powder and flour called "muginawa"(wheat rope) to keep away plagues on this day.

CHOUYOU (Sept. 9)

It is the very last of the Five Major Festivals, but today, this day is forgotten by the majority. The ancient Chinese believed that 9 is the positive's highest number and since this day counts as double 9, it is said to be good omen. On this day, the Japanese eats chestnut rice and display chrysanthemum therefore it is also called the festival of chestnut or festival of chrysanthemum.

JINJITSU JOUSHI TANGO TANABATA CHOUYOU