民俗学者で佛教大学教授の八木透先生の講演会に参加しました。題名は「知られざる賀茂祭りと祇園御霊会ー京における水の信仰をめぐってー」です。平安貴族の装束を身にまとった行列で有名な賀茂祭(葵祭)と１７日の山鉾巡行で有名な祇園祭は、意外にも「水」が儀式の重要な役割を果たすという点で共通している、という内容で、水の神、水への強い信仰を表す儀式をたくさん紹介して頂きました。京都の地下には、琵琶湖とほぼ同じ水量の地下水がありる事が最近の研究で明らかになりましたが、その最も強い水脈が流れている場所に、天皇とかかわりの深い、下鴨神社、京都御所、神泉苑が見事一列に並んでいます。昔の人は、何故この水脈の事を知っていたのか？歴史のロマンをも感じさせてくれました。そのお話を録音しましたので、以下のリンクをクリックして頂きますと、MP3形式でお聞き頂けます。
京における水の信仰 (MP3形式)
Lecture on Beliefs and Customs Related to Water in Kyoto
On Saturday, July 3, 2009 we attended a lecture by Folklore Scholar, Professor Toru Yagi from Bukkyo University in Kyoto.
Professor Yagi’s speciality is marriage and the family in Japan, but as a folklorist brought up in Kyoto, he has written books on customs in Kyoto.
The lecture was on water related beliefs and customs in relation to the Aoi Matsuri (festival) and the Gion Matsuri (festival).
The Aoi Matsuri is a festival that has been held since before Kyoto became the capital of Japan. The main event is held on May 15th, people in Heian period costume parade through the city. The festival is very famous for these elegant costumes.
The Gion Festival goes for the whole month of July. It started to cure an epidemic and the main parade that takes place on July 17th has huge and beautiful floats called ‘hoko’ or ‘yama’ that parade around the city center.
While it is not very well known, beliefs and customs regarding water are an important aspect of these festivals.
One reason Kyoto has been prosperous for over 1000 years is that it has beautiful and clean underground water. Movement of the water in the aquifer is quite brisk. It was found in a recent study that the amount of water under Kyoto is nearly the same volume as that in Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. Shimogamo Shrine, the Gosho Imperial Palace and Nijo Castle sit above the main stream of the aquifer. Gosho is exactly in the center of this underground river. It is interesting to note that even 1000 years ago, the Emperor and the Imperial Household knew where the best water in Kyoto was!
We have a mediocre quality audio recording of the lecture available at the link below. Unfortunately it is only available in Japanese.
Beliefs and Customs Related to Water in Kyoto (MP3 format, Japanese language)
