USHIKU MANDOU

Ushiku Daibutsu Lantern Festival

On August 15th the Ushiku Daibutsu Lantern Festival（ 灯籠のおまつり「万燈会」or T?r?-No-Matsuri Mand?-e.）was held. Mand?-e refers to a Buddhist mass where 10 thousand lanterns are offered to Buddha by worshippers who wish to expiate their sins.

(Note: the Buddhist term for “sin expiation” is Sange-Metsuzai or懺悔滅罪.)

This festival is one of the biggest of its kind in Ibaraki Prefecture. Starting at 7 p.m., the venue gets crowded very quickly. Just like any other festival, there are booths set up serving the normal festival foods. However, there is a difference in the atmosphere. If feels more quiet, it feels more peaceful and more spiritual than any other place. The great statue of Buddha plays its role, standing with dignity in the dark night. Wait, this is no dark night.

As I previously said, it is a lantern festival and at the great Buddha’s feet thousands of lanterns are shining gracefully. People are sitting. They are picnicking. They are talking of course but they are not in a crazy party mood. It seems like they are just relaxing, chilling. Then a series of fireworks starts. Festival participants who want to contribute sponsor each firework. For 3,000 yen, a contributor can have one firework shot off while their name is shouted through the loudspeakers. People make the festival their own by buying the displays, and of course, by buying a lantern between 1.000 yen (hanging type) and 2.000 yen (floating type), or a simple lantern: ch?chin（提灯）for 200 yen. Each lantern is signed by its buyer and is placed with all the other ones in what has become, just in a few hours, a gigantic lantern field.

This is all so soothing. Lines of lanterns hypnotize the eyes and the heart while fireworks entertain the same eyes and the brain. This is a garden of tranquility. The loudest sounds are from the drums performers and the dancers on a remote stage, away from the entrance gate to the Great Buddha’s garden of newly forgiven soul.

The praised god of this shrine is called Ame-No-Hiwashi-No-Mikoto（or 雨之日鷲尊.）The shrine was established in 1603. Ame-No-Hiwashi-No-Mikoto is celebrated as a god who can provide good crops, peace on earth and town safety. Also, it is said that this god can heal all kinds of colds.

This experience really has something spiritually fun about it. You don’t need to be a religious person to enjoy the quasi romantic magic of the place. It will blow you away. Next time in August, keep an eye on the events list concerning this “U-chic” festival…