Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha
Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu

Febr u ar y 2017

Six Miko maidens and five priests arrived in Honolulu on January 16 to participate in the Fukuoka-Hawaii
35th Anniversary festivities. Pictured here is Yukyu no Mai performed at the Japanese Consulate on January 18.
A series of waka poems of patriotism composed by Kokaku Zenshi (Master of Zen Buddishim) around the timeof the Mongol invasion of 1274 , was set to music and named Yukyu no Mai.

M AHALO

Tobiu m e - Th e Flyin g Plu m Tr eef or you r don at ion s
Thomas & Linda Agawa
Wendall Aoki
Lois Arakaki
Sean Asuncion
Kapiolani Chang
Dazaifu Tenmangu, Japan
Bill & Keiko Doughty
Lynette Hanashiro
Bob Harada
Arthur & Shar Isoshima
Ryuji Ito
Fue & Nana Kato
Marek & Naoko Lehockey
Malcolm & Frances Matsuoka
Donovan Mochizuki
Shinken & Marilyn Naitoh
Craig & Diane Nishida
Akiko Sanai
Gary & Linda Shinsato
John Toma
Yoko Yanagisawa

The Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine inFukuoka is especially famous for its plumblossoms and umeboshi (salted plums).
There are over 190 varieties of plumtrees on its 3,000 acres, with over 6,000trees.
Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine was built
above the grave of Michizane Sugawara.
It is said that when he bade farewell to
his favorite plum tree in his garden in
Kyoto before his exile in Dazaifu, hecomposed a poem and recited it to thetree.
Legend has it that the tree was so
deeply moved by his words, that it
uprooted itself and flew to Dazaifu inorder to keep him company.
That ancient tree, named "Tobi-ume" orliterally "flying plum" still exists within thegrounds of the shrine, and it is reputed tobe the first plum tree to bloom each year.

Th er e ar e m an y su per st it ion st h at su r r ou n d Umeboshi.
- Bad luck will befall a person who
attempts, but is not able toproperly pickle umeboshi- One must never eat umeboshi
and unagi in the same meal
- Blindness will befall those who
eat umeboshi late at night- One who eats umeboshi forbreakfast will survive unexpecteddisasters- Never eat umeboshi musubi
while fishing (local Hawaiiansuperstition)- Stick an umeboshi in your navel
to prevent motion sickness- Spread some umeboshi paste on
your temples to cure a headache

View even t ph ot os at : w w w.f lick r .com / k ot oh ir a-dazaif u

Haw aii-Fu k u ok a Sist er St at e Relat ion sh ip
The Governor of Fukuoka,
Hikaru Kamei, suggested asister-state relationship between
Hawaii and Fukuoka.
In September 1981, a Fukuoka
delegation of 850 people came toHawaii during the Aloha WeekFestival.

Priests and Miko maidens fromDazaifu Tenmangu Fukuoka
arrived in Honolulu on January 16
to perform Kagura at the Japanese
Consulate and Washington Place incelebration of the 35th Anniversaryof Fukuoka - Hawaii Sister State
relationship.
In November 1979, the JapanAmerican Conference of Mayorsand Chamber of Commerce
Presidents held a meeting inFukuoka City, Kyushu, Japan.

On September 25, 1981,Governor George Ariyoshi ofHawaii and Governor Hikaru Kamei
of Fukuoka signed the document
establishing a sister-state
relationship to promote goodwill
and understanding between

Hawaii and Fukuoka Prefectureand for educational and culturalexchange.
The concept of sister cities wasconceived after the Second World
War to rebuild diplomatic
relationships and reconcile citizens
through cultural and educational
exchanges.
The International Relations
Specialist in Residence Program
was created in Hawaii and Fukuoka
which allowed a government
employee from Fukuoka to work in
the Governor ?s Office for one year.

Haw aii-Fu k u ok a Sist er St at e Relat ion sh ip

M AHALO

Seishiki Sanpai was performed on January 17 for Governor Hiroshi Ogawa of Fukuoka-ken,
Prefectural officials and staff members. From the Prefectural Assembly: Chair Masayuki
Nakao and Assemblyman Hisaya Tanaka, Chair Kensei Haraguchi of the Jiyu Minshuto Party,Chair Toshio Yoshimura of the Minshinto Party and other public servants.

Br yson Goda
Bob Har ada
Cr aig Nish ida
Dian e Nish ida
Gar y Sh in sat o
Lin da Sh in sat o

Also in attendance were U.S. Consul General in Fukuoka Joy Sakurai, Chief Priest Nobuyoshi
Nishitakatsuji of Dazaifu Tenmangu and CEOs from various businesses in Fukuoka.

Kagu r aKagura is a sacred rite danced as
an offering to the kami.

performed at various venues inHonolulu in celebration of the 35th
Anniversary of the Hawaii-Fukuoka
Sister State. All costumes andaccessories were flown in fromDazaifu.

Presented at different moments of
the agricultural cycle, mostly in thefall, the kami are invited to occupy
the sacred area and are worshipedwith performances of music, songand dance.

Kagura is written with the kanji
characters ? ? which means"music of the kami".

Tracing its history to 9th century
Japan, it is considered one of theoldest continuously performed
music traditions in the world.
Kagura includes instrumental
music, vocal music, and dance.

Kagura, whether it is performed in
the sacred precincts of the Imperial
Palace or in some small village
shrine, always signifies a musicalperformance intended as anoffering and an entertainment tothe ancient kami of Japan.
Six Miko maidens and five priests
from Dazaifu Tenmangu

Much mahalo to Rev. Masatoshi
Shamoto and Akiko Sanai of theHawaii Gagaku Kenkyukai, acommunity/University of Hawaiiorganization dedicated to thestudy and performance of Gagaku
for use of their Koto, Kakko andGakudaiko.

At the urging of the Honolulu Fukuoka Kenjinkai, a Gobunrei
authorized for worship by Dazaifu Tenmangu, Fukuoka wasbrought to Hawaii on July 24, 1952.
The Gobunrei was hand-carried from Dazaifu to Yokohama by
Chief Priest Nobusada Nishitakatsuji (father of Chief PriestNobuyoshi Nishitakatsuji).
On July 17, 1952, the Gobunrei was transported to Hawaii byshrine President Yotaro Fujino and shrine officer Gisaku
Fujishima on the President Cleveland.
Pi ct u r ed f r om t h e r i gh t i s: Rev M asa Tak i zaw a, Rev an d M r s N obu y osh i
N i sh i tak atsu ji at t h e r ecen t Fu k u ok a- H aw ai i Si ster State f esti v i ti es.
Ch i ef Pr i est N obu y osh i N i sh i ak atsu ji i s th e 39th gen er ati on d escen d an tof M i ch i zan e Su gaw ar a. N i sh i tak atsu ji Gu ji w i l l be joi n i n g u s agai n f orou r Sp r i n g T h an k sgi v i n g Festi v al i n A p r i l .

Illinois native Ashley Atkinson-Leon recently published a blog post about
her visit to the shrine back in 2008.
With the help of a grant from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Ashley
was fortunate enough to be able to visit Hawaii for further research on
Shinto in the U.S.
Ashley shadowed Rev Takizawa for a day and was able to witness a Gokito
private blessing in addition to other priestly duties.
http://lewisnclark.com/blog/studying-shinto-in-hawaii/?preview=588a196a68c6f

CALENDARM AINTENANCE
Mahalo to Rudy
Santiago for
performing a corrosion
analysis of the Main
Hall stairs andparsonage walkway to
discover the cause andextent of deterioration.
Concrete spalling andpopouts caused by thecorrosion of thereinforced bars
embedded in theconcrete, joint
deficiencies andsurface damages
indicated significant
distress anddeterioration.
Areas identified ashigh priority will be
addressed andrepaired in the months
ahead.

FEBRUARY
12 1 pm
Kan r ek i Gr ou p Blessin g
2 pm
Yak u dosh i Gr ou p Blessin g
3 pm
Tsu k in am isai & Set su bu n

M ARCH53 pm
Tsu k in am isai Ser vice

10 &12 10 am - 4 pm
Hon olu lu Fest ival

APRIL
23 pm
Tsu k in am isai Ser vice

93 pm
Spr in g Th an k sgivin g Fest ival