Daimonji (大文字)
This time, I'll write about one of Kyoto's symbols: Daimonji (大文字).
Daimonji is shaped as the kanji meaning "large" or "great" (大) and is one of the symbols "drawn" on the mountains that surround Kyoto. The other ones are Myou/Hou (妙・法), the characters meaning "excellent law" (referring to Buddhist teachings); Funagata (舟形), the shape of a boat; Hidari Daimonji (左大文字), with the same character as the Daimonji, but slightly smaller; and Toriigata (鳥居形), the shape of a torii.
All those symbols are lit every year on August 16th from 8h pm (local time) at the culmination of obon. The fire has the meaning to guide the ancestors' spirits who are said to return to this world in order to visit relatives during the obon. This has the general name of okuribi (送り火), thus the name of this event in Kyoto being called gozan no okuribi (五山の送り火) - literally, "five mountains' send-off fire" -, although many people call it just daimonji.
Pictures of the lit symbols as well as some more explanation can be found here.
It is also an interesting checkpoint for me during those years in Japan.
In 2005, being in Japan for the first time, I was travelling in Kyoto (also for the first time) with Silvia and a Japanese friend when daimonji was lit. I was able to see some symbols from Sanjo, but didn't take any good pictures.
Returning to Japan in 2007, the Brazilian students in Kyoto gathered for a barbecue at Tati's former house, where we could see about four of the symbols (daimonji, funagata, myou and hou) from the roof. And it was the first time I had the thought of buying a tripod after trying many times to take pictures, but only managing to take passable ones after Kazu lent his tripod for a while.
I guess I've never mentioned that story here before, so I'll upload a picture taken that time.
In August 16th, 2008 I was in Munich on my way back to Brazil, so I obviously didn't see the okuribi. But on October I joined an event from the university student lounge (a.k.a. KI-ZU-NA) where we climbed daimonji. It is not that rough, but I recommend going when insects are not active. It's worth a go, anyway. From there it is possible to see the city of Kyoto from above, and also the places where the fires are lit every August 16th.
That's another event I haven't mentioned before, so I'll upload some pictures, too.
And in 2009? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I am not in Kyoto again. At this moment I am somewhere else that will result in another post soon.
So why writing about Daimonji? Well, it is one of Kyoto's main symbols; and since I came to Kyoto, it has been basically a part of my everyday life, sice it is possible to see it easily from Kyoto University Yoshida Campus area. This will be my last year as a student in Kyoto and I forgot to write about many occasions related to it, so I thought it was worth a post.
To keep the rate of "one different thing about daimonji every year", I'll try to take a picture of it covered in snow (will have to wait for winter, of course)...
Daimonji is shaped as the kanji meaning "large" or "great" (大) and is one of the symbols "drawn" on the mountains that surround Kyoto. The other ones are Myou/Hou (妙・法), the characters meaning "excellent law" (referring to Buddhist teachings); Funagata (舟形), the shape of a boat; Hidari Daimonji (左大文字), with the same character as the Daimonji, but slightly smaller; and Toriigata (鳥居形), the shape of a torii.
All those symbols are lit every year on August 16th from 8h pm (local time) at the culmination of obon. The fire has the meaning to guide the ancestors' spirits who are said to return to this world in order to visit relatives during the obon. This has the general name of okuribi (送り火), thus the name of this event in Kyoto being called gozan no okuribi (五山の送り火) - literally, "five mountains' send-off fire" -, although many people call it just daimonji.
Pictures of the lit symbols as well as some more explanation can be found here.
It is also an interesting checkpoint for me during those years in Japan.
In 2005, being in Japan for the first time, I was travelling in Kyoto (also for the first time) with Silvia and a Japanese friend when daimonji was lit. I was able to see some symbols from Sanjo, but didn't take any good pictures.
Returning to Japan in 2007, the Brazilian students in Kyoto gathered for a barbecue at Tati's former house, where we could see about four of the symbols (daimonji, funagata, myou and hou) from the roof. And it was the first time I had the thought of buying a tripod after trying many times to take pictures, but only managing to take passable ones after Kazu lent his tripod for a while.
I guess I've never mentioned that story here before, so I'll upload a picture taken that time.
In August 16th, 2008 I was in Munich on my way back to Brazil, so I obviously didn't see the okuribi. But on October I joined an event from the university student lounge (a.k.a. KI-ZU-NA) where we climbed daimonji. It is not that rough, but I recommend going when insects are not active. It's worth a go, anyway. From there it is possible to see the city of Kyoto from above, and also the places where the fires are lit every August 16th.
That's another event I haven't mentioned before, so I'll upload some pictures, too.
And in 2009? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I am not in Kyoto again. At this moment I am somewhere else that will result in another post soon.
So why writing about Daimonji? Well, it is one of Kyoto's main symbols; and since I came to Kyoto, it has been basically a part of my everyday life, sice it is possible to see it easily from Kyoto University Yoshida Campus area. This will be my last year as a student in Kyoto and I forgot to write about many occasions related to it, so I thought it was worth a post.
To keep the rate of "one different thing about daimonji every year", I'll try to take a picture of it covered in snow (will have to wait for winter, of course)...
No comments:
Post a Comment