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For 400 years, the people of Yokote have held this winter festival
in time-honored tradition. By carving out a hollow in a mound
of packed snow, "kamakura"(snow huts) are created.
At night, lights are lit within and people warm themselves here
while eating grilled rice cakes and drinking "amazake."
As people walk past the "kamakura," children's voices
can be heard from within shouting "Haittetanse" (Come
in!) On days when the snow is falling heavily, their voices
echo in the silence of the winter nights.
The Kamakura Festival is held during the Lunar New Year together
with other seasonal events such as the festival where pine and
rope decorations used at New Year's are burned in a sacred bonfire,
a ceremony to pay homage to the God of Water and the "Torioi"
ceremony to pray for an abundant harvest. The God of Water is
enshrined inside the kamakura and offerings of sacred sake,
amazake and rice cakes are made. In this region, there have
been water shortages in the past so this is why prayers are
offered to the God of Water. When the lanterns within the kamakura
are aglow, the light shining from them brighten the dark night
and give comfort.
Children who are gathered inside the kamakura invite people
to come in. When visitors enter the hut, the youngsters shout
"Ogandetanse" (please pray to the God of Water). After
the guests have finished praying, the children say "Amazake
agatte tanse" (please have some amazake) and offer them
some amazake and food to eat.
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The children in the kamakura teach visitors the joy and pleasure
of facing each other to converse and communicate. Sitting snugly
in the deep snow and relaxing in an idyllic winter night, people
can recapture feelings of kindness and compassion.
On February 15(Wed.) and 16(Thu.), over 100 full-size kamakura
are built as well as numerous smaller ones with lights shining
from within to create a magical world of fantasy.
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