The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-09-13
JAPANESE FESTIVALS.

A Yokohama correspondent Of the
San Francisco Chronicle writes The
10Th OF May is grand religious festival
day in Japan. On that day, from one
end Of the land to the other, the patriot.
ifm and religious devotion Of the people
are made manifest. The flag Of the en-
pire is given to the breeze and the
temples are thronged with worshipers.
The festival is in commemoration Of the
creation OF their first parents. The
legends of Japan tell of this sun goddess
Ten-sio-dai-zin, the favorite daughter
OF liza na-gi-mikoto. creator of the earth.
Iza-na-gi-mikoto was the Columbus of
the gods. He conceived the idea that
beneath the heavens-under the boiling
waters-there must be q habitable
sphere. To think with him was to. act.
He plunged his spear into the waters,
and upon withdrawing it the drops fall
ing from it we're CONCEALED, and 30 the
world was formed, the largest drop
becoming the islands of Japan. He
then created the ten thousand things
known to men, and placed his favorite
daughter to reign over his
creation. After lapase of over two mil
Hon years, without counting the odd
thousands, one of her descendants
married mortal, and from her union
sprung the race of the mikado and his
people. The 10Th of May is festival
day in honor of the sun goddess Ten
sio dsi-zin. So patriotism, loyalty and
religion are inextricably involved and
joined in the minds OF the people
Through the mikado they claim ineal
descent from the creator of this world
and all that therein is. In the near past
the sun was worshiped by the Japanese,
and at this time very many of the un-
learned are sun worshipers, this being
especially true of seamen. As the sun
rises they bow their heads and invocate
the god of day. There is romantic le.
gend connected with the reign of the sun
goddess Ten sio.dai.zin as queen protec.
tress OF the earth. It appears that she
had numerous brothers and sisters, and
that one of the brothers was wild and
made it very troublesome for his sister.
At last she became 30 much afraid of
him that she secluded herself within
deep cave in the mountains, the entrance
to which was securely closed. Owing
to her absence the world was wrapped
in continual darkness.
This state of affairs became intolera-
BILE, and the gods, meeting in conclave,
determined that Ten-sio-dai zin must be
prevailed upon to reappesr, they agree.
ing to assure her that her troublesome
brother should be banished to some far
away realm of space, to trouble her no
more. They proceeded to the cave
where she had immured herself, and by
great efforts opened the entrance little,
when the sun goddess gave a peep out;
and seeing the vast multitude of her
fellow gods and goddesses, whom she
knew as her friends, she came out from
her seclusion. The brother was duly
banished, but after time it was,thought
that if he was allowed to return to his
old home the experience he had gained
in his banishment would deter him from
further troubling his sister, whom he
knew was under their protection. He
came back among them, but the devil
was still in him. It was the fashion in
those ages Of the gods for all female
deities to always have with them mir
ror, and to this day mirror is consid-
cred an emblem of purity, and to be
found in every Shinto temple in the
land. AS this wicked brother met his
sister he tried to kill her with his fam
ing sword, making deadly cut at her,
which she warded off by interposing
her mirror. From the meeting Of the
sword and mirror another god was
created, who proved to be as vicious as
his father. The fate of both father and
son are not authenticity established,
Probably they became first-class demons
in the internal regions.
The festival in honor of the sun god
dess is celebrated with due ceremony
at a temple especially dedicated to her
worship in Yokohama. The temple is
situated upon one of the sightliest
elevations of the place, and looks toward
Toxic. The busy city lies far below it,
and complete bird's-eye view can be
had of the city and its environments !;
and the whole expanse OF the beautiful
bay of Yokohama, with its feet of
shipping, is before the gazer from this
spot. l am told that it is only upon
this anniversary day, during the entire
year, that this temple is open for cere
monial worship, the devout all the rest
of the year praying before the closed
doors. On this day the Shinto priest
hood array themselves in their robes OF
Office and perform their sacred functions
during the day, and also in the even.
ing. The temples devoted to the
worship of Buddha and his disciples,
who have been sainted and dei6ed, are
always open for business to be trans
acted, though there are daYs set apart
for peculiar ceremonies befitting ex-
traordinary events connected with the
lives and death of their peculiar object
of worship. Some time last year the
god who has charge of the thunder
machinery of heaven was placed in
new abode that was prepared for him.
From the temple where he had been
enthroned he was taken in a sacred
traveling-box at the head of a long
procession of Worshipers. and placed