Festival Sagicho

## Introduction

Generally, 左義長(三毬打):Sagicho is a fire festival or ritual of New Year today.

I introduced it in the article Log@Kyoto 1569 as following;

> *It is originally a ceremony on the middle of January to wish peace of the year. 毬打(毬杖):Gi-Cho was a game of 打:Cho (bandying) 毬:Gi (ball) with 杖:Cho (stick) shaped like spatula or mallet, and was a Shinto ritual. 三毬杖:Sa-Gi-Cho came from tying three Gi-Cho sticks together. At the ceremony of New Year, they stood three sticks on the ground and fired them to exorcise evil spirits.*
>
>

According to the diary of Dr. Tokitsugu, he celebrated Sagicho at his house on January 15 on the Lunar Calendar. The Imperial court once canceled the ceremony of Sagicho planed on January 18 because of the massive crowd. They celebrated it on January 19 with guard by Nobunaga and his nice fellows.

Today, 左義長まつり:Sagicho Matsuri (Sagicho Festival) at 日牟禮八幡宮:Himure Hachimangu in Omihachiman City of Shiga prefecture is held as a spring festival in March. It is also called fancy festival.

The fire festivals in Omihachiman, Sagicho in March and 松明まつり:Taimatsu Matsuri (Torch Festival) of 八幡まつり: Hachiman Matsuri (Hachiman Festival) in April, are recognized as“Intangible Cultural Properties that need measures such as making records" officially.

##### **Agency for Cultural Affairs**

http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/index.html

##### **Intangible Cultural Properties**

http://www.bunka.go.jp/english/policy/cultural\_properties/introduction/intangible/

##### **国指定文化財等データベース : Cultural Properties Database**

http://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/index\_pc.html

## Festival Sagicho : 左義長 / 三毬打

### **History**

##### **左義長祭 : Sagicho Festival**

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~him8man/S-2004.html

According to the HP of 日牟禮八幡宮: Himure Hachimangu in Omihachiman City, the festival history is following;

> ***The origin of Sagicho***
>
>

> *左義長:Sagicho is a fire festival held on the small New Year's Day. It is also written such as 三毬杖(three sticks hitting a bal), 三木張(three trees tent)・三毬打(three swings to hit a a ball)・爆竹(bamboo cracker). In some regions, it is called "Sagicho", "Tondo", "Sae-no-Kami". It is a ritual to burn the ornaments of New Year in the open space in the evening on January 14 or in the morning on January 15 around the Lunar New Year. Today, it is still held for good heath all over the country.*
>
>

> *It came from Chinese cracker as the ritual of New Year from the age of the Han Dynasty. In Japan, the name originated a ball game of "打毬の楽" that the players enjoy rinding horse to scoop a red and white ball with spatula head sticks in new Year's day. The derivation of words "三毬杖・三木張・三毬打" is considered that the players burnt their broken sticks in the ball game.*
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> ***Nobunaga the Load appeared to dance, and the people opened their city of Hachiman with high-spirits.***
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> *According to the record of Nobunaga, "Oda Nobunaga hold 左義長:Sagicho festival in grand style every New Year at Azuchi. He himself wore his 南蛮笠:exotic hat, masked his face with scarlet silk scarf, put on his outer brocade garment, and sprung to dance in showy fancy strange appearance." After he died, 豊臣秀次:Tohotomi Hidetsugu built the Hachiman Castle and the people who was invited to move from Azuchi to the market around the Hachiman Castle opened their city in 1586.*
>
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> *At that time, they were surprised at the majestic annual festival "Hachiman Festival" in April at the shrine for guardian deity of Hachiman. They competed it to show their joy and thanks for opening new city with high-spirits. They worshiped the guardian deity for protecting against misfortune and fire, and decided to offer their Sagijo festival to Hachiman shrine. Therefore, it is considered that Sagicho festival is performed in March though originally in New Year.*
>
>

His appearance is sometimes exotic... Maybe, it was strange in those days... He enjoys dancing in the traditional New Year festival for deity with people in the latest exotic strange appearance... though he is already over 40, the age of 不惑 (not restless or boderless)...

## Appearance

### **Appearance of young men in the festival**

##### **wikipedia about** **日牟禮八幡宮**

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A5%E7%89%9F%E7%A6%AE%E5%85%AB%E5%B9%A1%E5%AE%AE

According to the wikipedia page about the shrine, young men are fancy dressed in the festival parade today, because Nobunaga tried to disguise himself as an ordinary man or women, anyway one of them, with his mask and lady's outer wear.

But all know who is who...like masked Chopper-man...maybe because his voice is clear high... So poor Nobunaga the famous anonymous who always fails to hide his childish restless nature...

Those articles remind me of the appearance of 虫垂れぎぬ姿:Mushi-no-Tareginu (noble lady's outdoor style) or 牛若丸:Ushi-Waka-maru (the Young Bull) in Heian period. Besides, they remind me of Spanish or Portuguese missionary's apparance in the 16th century in Japan. He looks like in hybrid old and new appearance... So  fancy funky funny face...

##### **虫垂れぎぬ姿 : Appearance of Mushi-no-Tareginu (Moths Protect)**

http://www.iz2.or.jp/mushinotare/index.html

http://www.iz2.or.jp/mushinotare/shopping.html

It is noble lady's outdoor sporty showy clothes and a hat with white veil for keeping moths away or sunscreen during Heian and Kamakura period. It is also called 壺装束:Tsubo Shozoku (Pot Dress).

##### **みやじま紅葉の賀 : Momijinoga at Miyajima Island**

http://momijinoga.jp/

They offer rental plan of old Heian Kimono Experience such as Tsubo Shozoku.

##### **平安壺装束プラン : Heian Tsubo Shozoku Plan**

http://momijinoga.jp/plan/

He seems to change a hat with white veil in old noble lady's appearance to an exotic black hat with red mask. That's more photogenic... as if he is 夢殿:Yume-dono (Hall of Dreams), the round castle-tower with an octagon-shaped floor modeled after the meditation room of Prince Shotoku in the village of 斑鳩:Ikaruga.

##### **安土城天主 信長の館 : Azuch Castle Museum the "House of Nobunaga"**

http://www.zc.ztv.ne.jp/bungei/nobu/tenji/index.html

### **Appearance of his time in the 16th century**

The formal wear of the Samurai load in his age is as following;

##### **肩衣、袴姿の武将 : The male load dressed with Kata-ginu and Hakama.**

http://www.iz2.or.jp/fukushoku/f\_disp.php?page\_no=0000100

The model of the photos is a portrait of Nobunaga.

He is dressed with formal-wear in formal event, though his formal style is simpler than old one.

Kata-ginu is sleeveless ceremonial robe for samurai. Hakama is man's formal divided skirt. A sporty hakama skirt with wringed bottoms is called 指貫:Sashi-nuki.

##### **打掛をつけた武家上流婦人 : The noble lady in Samurai class with 打掛:Uchi-kake.**

http://www.iz2.or.jp/fukushoku/f\_disp.php?page\_no=0000102

Uchi-kake is a long outer garment for ladies. Today, it is one of women's bridal robe with trailing skirts worn over a kimono.

##### **南蛮人 : The people from southern Europe.**

http://www.iz2.or.jp/fukushoku/f\_disp.php?page\_no=0000106

Spanish or Portuguese missionary's apparance in 16th centry in Japan.

##### **キリスト教を信仰する武士 : The Samurai who believed Christianity**

http://www.iz2.or.jp/fukushoku/f\_disp.php?page\_no=0000105

They worn their rosary and ruffle.

In the 16th century in Japan, some people wearing some European style goods.

## Variations in history of the festival

##### **左義長まつり : Sagicho Festival**

https://www.biwako-visitors.jp/event/detail/801

##### **左義長まつり : Sagicho Festival**

http://www.omi8.com/maturi/sagicho.htm

According to the HP of Omihachiman Tourism Association, the history is following;

> **1.** **The origin of Sagicho**
>
>

> *・・・ Sagicho is held in January in many regions in Japan. Sagicho in Omihachiman was also held on January 14 and 15 during Edo period. But, it was changed to be held in March after the solar calendar was used in the early Meiji period. After 40's in Showa era (1960's), it is changed to be held on weekend around March 14 and 15.*
>
>

> **2.** **Sagicho Festival in Omihachiman**
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>

> *・・・ We hear that Sagicho in Omihachiman was originally performed in the city of Azuchi Castle and the lord of the castle Oda Nobunaga himself appeared to dance.*
>
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> *We sometimes hear the origin as following; After he died, the people who moved to the city of Hachiman Castle asked to join Hachiman Festival held in April. But there was no space to offer their torches and they were refused because they were newcomers. So, they started their Sagicho Festival that had been performed in Azuchi.*
>
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##### **たねや : Confectionery Shop Taneya**

http://taneya.jp/news/2017/03/11\_sagicho.html

According to the HP of the confectionery shop Taneya, the people from the city of Azuchi Catsle to the market in the city of Hachiman Castle missed for their load to open their Sagicho as a spring festival.

It is interesting that each article has its own interpretation about the history of the relationship among the shrine, the load and the people.

I like their interpretation. Maybe, I like someone who misses someone. Spring festival is more suitable for his spring idea.

Their common recognition is that Nobunaga was sure to be fancy, and the origin of the name was the New Year retual in the old Palace in Kyoto.

## Sagicho in Kyoto

Unfortunately, Sagicho in Kyoto City today is a minor ritual around January 15 on the solar calendar.

##### **左義長祭 : Sagicho Festival**

https://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=2&ManageCode=1000198

> *on Coming-of-Age Day in January at 新熊野神社:Ima-Kumano shrine.*
>
>

##### **左義長 : Sagicho**

https://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/detail.php?InforKindCode=2&ManageCode=1000263

> *on Jan. 15 at 三千院:Sanzenin.*
>
>

##### **Event**

http://sanzenin.or.jp/wp/2017/09/24/%E5%B7%A6%E7%BE%A9%E9%95%B7/

##### **左義長（とんど祭） : Sagicho (Tondo Festival)**

https://kanko.city.kyoto.lg.jp/eventdetail.php?event\_tab=tradition&eventid=180115101

> *on Jan. 15 at 平岡八幡宮:Hiraoka Hachimangu shrine.*
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>

Frankly speaking, we usually treat our New Year decoration as combustible waste in the specified yellow garbage bag of usual collecting by the city simply... maybe because we have no ritual office in the palace today... Or that's just decoration sold in the supermarkets, convenience stores or net shops today.

By the way, I happened to find an interesting coincidence of the denominate number 66 in the article of Sagicho Festival they issued to entry the Intangible Cultural Properties.

They told that the number of the blocks in old Hachiman town is 66.

The denominate number 66 is the number of mimic plays performed by the main disciples of Gautama Buddha at the ceremony of 祇園精舎:Jetavana against the challenger 提婆達多:Devadatta as an origin of dance play in 風姿花伝:Fushikaden (The Book of Transmission of the Flower).

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