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Traditional festival to bring good fortune and prosperity
In Japan, was the first of the
In Japan, was the first of the "rooster
day" festivals in November -- auspicious days which are devoted to the gods of fortune.
Millions of people across the nation headed to temples and shrines such
as the Ootori shrine in Asakusa, an area in downtown Tokyo, which retains
the atmosphere of old Japan.
After a brief prayer and a small donation to the gods of the shrine, people head to the many stalls to buy ornate rakes, or "bears` claws", as they are called in Japanese, with which people can rake in their fortunes. Rake-buying day is also a time when local media and pundits alike take the pulse of the domestic economy.
The more rakes sold, they say, the worse the economy is, as it shows that people are so desperate for prosperity they are willing to believe in ancient traditions. With unemployment surging to record highs and economic growth likely to plunge into negative territory this business year, the Japanese need all the luck they can get. "This year, with things the way they are, my customers don`t really have anything nice to say. But I hope that if they buy a rake and they strive harder at what they are doing, it will make a difference," said Masayuki Haneda, standing in front of a vast array of rakes in his stall.
Haneda said it was too early to put a figure on this year`s rake business and there seemed to be more people lining up to pray than to buy his goods. The chief deity of the shrines where `rooster days` are celebrated was originally venerated by warriors as a god of success in war. But He later became the god of good luck in general.
The rakes, made mostly of wood and straw and which come backed with extra good-luck charms, range in size from handheld versions which cost around 2,000 yen (16.51 U.S. dollars) to heavyweights that sell for 500,000 yen (4,128 U.S. dollars) or more.
When a rake is sold, the vendors and the customers go through a raucous round of auspicious clapping. Rake buyers are supposed to upgrade to a bigger version each year.
After a brief prayer and a small donation to the gods of the shrine, people head to the many stalls to buy ornate rakes, or "bears` claws", as they are called in Japanese, with which people can rake in their fortunes. Rake-buying day is also a time when local media and pundits alike take the pulse of the domestic economy.
The more rakes sold, they say, the worse the economy is, as it shows that people are so desperate for prosperity they are willing to believe in ancient traditions. With unemployment surging to record highs and economic growth likely to plunge into negative territory this business year, the Japanese need all the luck they can get. "This year, with things the way they are, my customers don`t really have anything nice to say. But I hope that if they buy a rake and they strive harder at what they are doing, it will make a difference," said Masayuki Haneda, standing in front of a vast array of rakes in his stall.
Haneda said it was too early to put a figure on this year`s rake business and there seemed to be more people lining up to pray than to buy his goods. The chief deity of the shrines where `rooster days` are celebrated was originally venerated by warriors as a god of success in war. But He later became the god of good luck in general.
The rakes, made mostly of wood and straw and which come backed with extra good-luck charms, range in size from handheld versions which cost around 2,000 yen (16.51 U.S. dollars) to heavyweights that sell for 500,000 yen (4,128 U.S. dollars) or more.
When a rake is sold, the vendors and the customers go through a raucous round of auspicious clapping. Rake buyers are supposed to upgrade to a bigger version each year.