There is a very popular magic ritual that is called "丑の刻参り(Ushi no koku Mairi)". It was popular in general around Edo era in Japan. Ushi no Koku is time from 1am to 3 am. Let's say you want to kill someone. You visit the shrine at the Ushi no koku time with holding a straw figure that is likened to the person you want to kill, a gosunkugi(15.15cm length spike) and a hammer.
There are some rules about the clothes as well. You have to wear a white cloth (looks like yukata), wear a trivet on your head upside-down, and put 3 candles on it. You have to wear getas that have only one tooth. You visit the shrine at Ushi no koku for 7 days with this appearance,and nail the straw figure with the spike and hammer on the sacred tree. If you complete these things without being noticed by anyone, your wish will come true; the one you feel bitter dies with pains.
There are some popular shrines about this ritual, like Kifune shrine in Kyoto. It's located in the bottom of Mt.Kifune, and surrounded by a dense cedar forest. It's still gloomy in the daytime and we even feel chill there. When you go into the depth, you'll see a lot of holes of the spikes on a lot of trees. Some of them are even new. It means, some people still do such a thing in the present time; wearing white clothes, putting candles on the head, and nailing a straw figure with a big spike in the darkness..
3 comments:
Wow, what a fascinating ritual. Although I'd hate to be killed in this manner. -.- Have you been to such shrines?
Sounds like something you'd tell the kids to scare them.. like ghost stories around the campfire here.. though would be interesting if they caught some adults doing it.. heh, aren't those trees supposed to be sacred too? the ones wrapped in ropes and paper charms? would be a shame if people started nailing holes in them..
so.. maybe I should add this to my list of things to do next time? you can be my guide to the magic killing ritual !!
>Jensen
No, I haven't been to such shrines. I will get shocked if I really see such holes on trees :S
>Jeff
Lol, we don't tell scary stories around campfire. Surrounding a candle might be much better. Such a situation is scary :P
Eh, you mean you wanna go such shrines???
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