Fox Wedding Parade / Festival in NIigata,Japan / Legend
Sunday, January 8, 2017
(C)Niigata Prefectural Tourist Association
Fox wedding parade festival is a beautiful Japanese culture.
(C)Niigata-ken Professional Photographers Society
Hitodama is a human spirit's fire/light.
Kitsunebi is a Fox spirit's fire/light.
There were many traditional legends about floating fire-balls in Japanese folklore.
Those were called Hitodama,Onibi, or Kitsunebi.
A kind of ectoplasm or particles of magnetism.
A kind of ectoplasm or particles of magnetism.
Especially,Kirin mountain's kitsunebi/fox lights were famous.
Many foxes were living in this mountain actually
and Kitsunebi were found on a daily basis by local residents.
and Kitsunebi were found on a daily basis by local residents.
(Kirin mountain is located at Tsugawa,Aga town in Niigata prefecture.)
Niigata prefecture is main producing area of rice plant.
This area is very important place for Japanese people because
rice means power of the Sun.
As you know,Japan is a country of the Sun.
This area is very important place for Japanese people because
rice means power of the Sun.
As you know,Japan is a country of the Sun.
Fox gods are deities of rice fields in Japan.
In this area,wedding ceremony has been held in evening time since a very long time ago.
Lantern parade of final schedule was very mysterious view
and kitsunebi also appeared at that time like this. ↓
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Old people had been thought that foxes are also having their wedding ceremony with human's.
This is the Fox wedding legend in Japan.
Fox wedding parade festival is created based on the above true story.
This festival is held on May 3 every year in Tsugawa、Aga town.
Bride is chosen from among ladies who are already planning to marry in near future.
All participants have fox like paint their faces.
All participants have fox like paint their faces.
My favorite scene is from 4:00～.
Time schedule of the parade
1, PM5:00
Bride say goodbye to her home at Sumiyoshi Shrine in Tsugawa.
2,Parade show
3,PM6:30
Cerebration dance by nursery school children.
4,PM7:45
Arrival at Kirin mountain park. Bride meets her groom.
5,PM8:00
Wedding reception.
6,PM8:45
Finale. Bride and groom take a small boat and head to the Kirin mountain.
There are other fox wedding parades in other prefectures
but this parade in Tsugawa is big and large-scale.
I am very proud of these Japanese beautiful culture.
(C)Niigata Prefectural Tourist Association
