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On the eve of the naked festival's, two huge kagami-mochi ( lit. mirror shaped rice cake ),
one stacked on top of the other, arrive at the second Torii/gate around 1:00 p.m.,
then they are placed in the front shrine (Haiden)
Naked Festival
OFFERING OF THE 4-TON RICE CAKE
or
Oh-kagamimochi Hohnoh
*Kagamimochi is a pair of mirror-shaped round rice cakes
offered to the gods on New Year's Day.
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| Konomiya Shrine Ichi-no-torii (the first gate) |
Approximitely 1300 people (in 2005) from Shikatsu town gathered near the shrine by 40 buses. They walk through the Ichi-no-torii of Konomiya Shrine and keep walking to the shrine. |
There are very long lines. Approximately 1300 people joined this event as supporters. |
Supporters go through the Konomiya Shrine ni-no-torii (the 2nd gate) |
Supporters are waiting for the arrival of the oh-kagamimochi at the sando (the approach to a shrine) |
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| The truck arrived at ni-no-torii | Huge kagamimochi ! | Decorated with naoizasa | Greeting to the V.I.P. | Supporters and sightseers are waiting |
 click for movie |
| Members of Hohsankai or supporters that year form themselves in groups of 40 to 50, and pull the Oh-kagamimochi. Each group may only pull it 20 meters. 1300 supporters wearing happi pulled it in 2005 |
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| Supporters pass through the San-no-torii (the third gate) |
Kagamimochi is moved from a truck to a trailer. |
The kagamimochi is then pulled by members of Tesshohkai (a group of former shin-otoko) |
click for movie |
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| photo by nega |
| Arriving at the front shrine |
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This kagami-mochi is at the maximum size
which can pass through the temple gate.
Daidai, the ornament on the top, has been made by Matsukawa-ya Co.,Ltd.
since 1862.
Rice for rice cake is from Saga Pref. Farmer's Cooperative.
Bream are from Chita Fisherman's Cooperative.
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| 40 sets of kagamimochi are brought to the shrine in the afternoon, two days before the naked festival, or the morning of the next day. |
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