Volume 3 Issue 3June 2013

Chinowa for People & Pets
2013
A procession of humans, dogs, cats,birds, rabbits, and hamsters went throughthe Chinowa ring on Sunday, June 2 forthe annual Pet Blessing at the shrine.
Some pets hung around for some“yappy hour” while others slurped Pet

Shave Ice.
As usual, all had a tail-wagging goodtime.
Mark your calendars for the next Pet
Blessing Festival and Chinowa Ring ofRenewal on Sunday, June 1, 2014.

View more event photos and TV news coverage atHawaii Kotohira Jinsha
Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu

WHERE ANCIENT TRADITIONS THRIVE

www.flickr.com/photos/kotohiradazaifu
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhzjMx2rkKg

Rest in Peace, Kuma
Kuma was your friend, yourpartner, your defender.
You were his life, his love, hisleader. He was yours, faithful andtrue, to the last beat of his heart.

MAHALO for your generous donations
Susan Amato
Gary Cox
Doughty Ohana
Kaori Fiack
Clark & Gayle Fujihara
Bob Harada
Hanayagi Dancing Academy
Hawaii Foundation
Stephanie Helbush
Lester Ho
Sayuri Horn
Mitsuru & Pam Igarashi
Kyoko Isa
Jessie ItoLorraine & Elsie Kadota
Robert Kakalia Cynthia Kim
Hidetaka & Risa Kojima
Elaine Komatsu
Chris & Soo Lai

Sylvia Laano
Marvis Minami
Roy Morioka
Shinken & Marilyn Naitoh
Craig & Diane Nishida
Clyde & Gayle Nishimoto
Raldeen Nishimura
Wendy Ogawa
Amy Okazaki
Jay & Pauline Sakashita
Jeron Sambrano
Cindy Sasaki
Debra Shimoda
Samantha Shobu
Laura Sychowski
Judy Taketa
Kai Katsuna Uehira
Eric & Sayuri Van Rijsbergen
Pamela Wong

Dale Yamamoto
Brian Yamanaka Jr
Shinya & Satomi Yarimizo

Shrine volunteer, Jill
Nishida left for Thailand on June 3 to teachEnglish in Ubon
Ratchathani, a northeastern province near
Laos.
Stay safe, but go
beyond the guidebook!

MAHALO Volunteers
June 1 Saturday
Bob Harada
Arthur Isa Sr
Kyoko Isa
Craig NishidaDiane Nishida
Karen Nishida
Jill Nishida

Page 2June 2 Sunday
Toi Baba
Alyssa Fujihara
Gayle Fujihara
Jeff Fujioka
Bryson Goda
Yasumi Gojo
Hanayagi Dancing
Academy Hawaii Fdn
Bob Harada
Ena Hasegawa

HI Tokai Intl College
Emi Igarashi
Kai Igarashi
Arthur Isa Sr
Arthur Isa Jr
Kyoko Isa
Momoe Ishida
Saori Ishiguro
Haruka IwataTom Jannuzzio
Lorraine Kadota
Elaine Komatsu
Kenya Kosugi
Yuko Kuge
Kenshi Kuromiya
Calvin Mai
Akane Miyazaki
Masatoshi Murakami
Marilyn Naitoh

Shinken Naitoh
Craig NishidaDiane Nishida
Jill Nishida
Karen Nishida
Takato Ohara
Carole Omura
Ayaka Ota
Momoka Sakamoto
Jay Sakashita

Pauline Sakashita
Skye Sakashita
Stirling Sakashita
Naomi Teramoto
UH Manoa - NICE
Rio Watanabe
Hiroshi Yamaji
Nini Yang

HA W A I I K O T O HI R A J I N S HA

Shrine Visitors
On June 13, Dr. Jay Sakashita of Leeward Community College accompanied
15 graduate students and their instructors
from Washington University in St. Louisto the shrine.

As part of their Asian Studies program,they have traveled toHawaii for several weeks
to see and experience
first-hand the affects ofculture as it shifts
contexts.

Konpira Dog

Shrine volunteers Stacie Hata & Alyssa
Fujihara graduated from the Universityof Hawaii at Manoa on May 11. May
your graduation be the beginning of afuture filled with success and happiness!

VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3

Kotohira-gu is renown as theguardian kami of navigation, fishing, and successful business.
Prior to 1868, Kotohira-gu wasknown as Konpira Daigongen,both a Buddhist and Shinto sanctuary.
Since 1868, it’s been known as
Kotohira-gu,or more affectionately
as "Konpira-san."During the Edo Period (1603 1868) commoners were only allowed travel for the sole purposeof pilgrimages.
Ise Jingu and Konpira Daigongen were the two most popularpilgrimage destinations. The pilgrimage to Konpira Daigongen
was called Konpira mairi.
Those who were not able to
make the pilgrimage themselves,
sent their dogs to Konpira-san on
their behalf.
Offerings to Konpira-san alongwith the names and addresses ofthe owner and money to purchasefood were placed in a bag with

Travelers caring for a Konpira dog"Konpira Mairi" written on it and tiedaround the neck of the dogs.
The dogs were cared for bytravelers who guided them until they
eventually arrived at Konpira-san.
Upon the dogs arrival, prayers wereoffered for the donors and ofuda amulets were placed in the bag tied aroundthe dog's neck.
The dogs were then fed, given a goodnight's rest and sent back to their owners
in the same way they came.

Page 3

A Piece of History
The chōchin lanterns used by
the shrine are specially handmade by the Miyoshi Chōchin
Company of Kagawa prefecturein Shikoku, Japan.
Master Masanobu Miyoshi isthe 11th generation owner andchief Chōchin artist of MiyoshiChōchin.
All 11 generations of artisans
have specialized in the Sanuki
style of Chōchin lanterns, decorated with bright colors and bold
patterns of deep religious symbolism.
Chōchin lanterns are said tohave been brought back fromChina by Kobo Daishi sometimein 806 CE.
The chōchin has a frame ofsplit bamboo wound in a spiralwith paper or silk covering toprotect the flame from the wind.
The spiral structure allows
the chōchin to be collapsed into
the basket at the bottom. .
The Samuki style Chōchin
lanterns were originally used byshrines, temples and pilgrims on
their pilgrimage of the 88 temples of Shikoku.

11th generation artisan,Masanobu Miyoshi

讃岐提灯は、弘法大師が中国からその技法を伝承されて香川県で発生したとされ、四国八十八ヶ所の奉納提灯として約１０世紀の歴史があると言い伝えられています。
そのため寺社特有の図柄や紋様を用い、絢爛極彩色に飾られた様々な讃岐提灯が宝物として神社仏閣に奉納されたものが現在も多数残されています。

Special chochin lanterns made by Miyoshi Chochin donated to theshrine by Dr. Shinken and Marilyn Naitoh

www.e-shrine.org