Chitachi + Jyugunichi (specific new/full moon rites for hinukan & butsudan)
[SSC | Sōwatchi Notes]
January 2nd to 3rd of the lunar calendar. At the New Year's Harvest Festival, fishermen put up young pines, young trees, and big catch flags on their boats to pray for safe voyages, bountiful catches, and good health, and feasts are held on board and in the port.
An event to celebrate and pray for good health to the same zodiac sign as the year of birth. It is originally a celebration that takes place once every 12 years, but it is held on a grand scale after the 13th birthday and after the 60th birthday.
It is the day when the god of fire, who spent the year-end and New Year holidays in heaven, returns to the human world. The day when the god of fire (Hinukan) who ascended in the wishes of the New Year holidays (Uganbuduchi) returns. We serve white rice and cook incense to welcome the god of fire.
7th Day Festival
This time, we will tell you about visiting and welcoming Okinawa's Jusanya (Thirteenth Night), the festival of King Sewan, who is worshiped as the god of Jingtu (money) and the god of business .
It is called Gosei Shogatsu, and is an event to welcome the spirits of our ancestors to the New Year. We offer meals, rice cakes, and sake to the graves to honor our ancestors.
The day when the New Year is over and the decorations are put away. Some families offer tebichi soup or umuni to the hinukan or Buddhist altar as the last New Year's event.
The Juri women of that time were not free to go wherever they wanted, except on Hachika Sogwachi, January 20 according to the lunar calendar, the day of the Juri Uma Gyoretsu procession, and it was on this day that they were given the chance to show their families in the world outside of the entertainment district that they were well and healthy. During the lively procession where the Juri danced the Nmameisa in the splendid atmosphere, parents and siblings of some of the Juri women were said to
Spring Equinox
February・2月・にぐゎち・Nigwachi
Offerings are made to the Buddhist altar and Hinukan during an event to pray for a rich harvest of wheat. Needlework and field work were prohibited on this day.
March・3月・さんぐゎち・Sangwachi
A day when we offer offerings such as mugwort mochi and collect clams. It is said that the tide has the power to remove impurities, so it is an event to purify oneself by entering the sea.
There is a custom of offering wheat dishes as part of the wheat harvest festival. However, now that the wheat harvest has decreased, there are fewer places to do it.
April・4月・しんぐゎち・Shingwachi
Follows Qingming Festival in China
14 April: Abushibarei (Ritual to Ward Off Pests). Grass is cut along the edges of fields; rats and insects are caught, put aboard small boats, and ritually set out to sea. An insect repellent event held at this time when pests increase in the fields. It is said that all the villagers mowed the grass on the ridges, collected pests, and washed them into the sea. It is one of the traditional events with the earnest wishes of farmers in the era when there was no pest control.
Summer Solstice
May・5月・ぐんぐゎち・Gungwachi
Naha Harley is a festival held at Naha Port's Shinko Pier during the three days of Golden Week every year. It is one of the largest Hari festivals held in various parts of Okinawa Prefecture. Hari is originally held on May 4th of the lunar calendar, but Naha Hari is held during Golden Week. Hari is said to have been introduced from China about 600 years ago, and is an event in which people row competitive dragon boats to pray for peace and peace. A variety of events are held at the festival venu
There is a tradition of buying toys for children to wish for their health and growth. Hari Day is also a day to pray for a bountiful catch and safe sailing, and rowing races are held at fishing ports in each region.
t's time to head into the full-fledged summer heat. This is the day when people offer Amagasashi to Hinukan or Buddhist altars to pray for good health and ward off evil spirits.
Nowadays, when wheat is grown less due to an event held to pray for a rich harvest of rice, there are many regions where Umachi is only celebrated in May. It is also considered the day when women return home.
June・6月・るくぐゎち・Rukugwachi
At the rice harvest festival, we offer ears of rice to thank the gods for a bountiful harvest. Depending on the region, tug-of-war events are held.
Following Umachi in June, it is a day to offer kashichi (strong rice) to hinukan and Buddhist altars to thank the gods for a bountiful harvest. In June, only white rice (white kashchi) is served.
July・7月・しちぐゎち・Shichigwachi
Before Obon, is Tanabata 七夕. In Okinawa, rather than celebrate star festival, it is more common that this is a grave-cleaning day to prepare for Obon and to ask ancestors to come visit during Obon season. It is believed that the ancestors protect their descendants in the real world, so it is important to take of them in their afterlife.
Done on Tanabata. Bowl cleaning info here
Day one of Obon (the 7th Lunation, Shichigwachi, or Kyuubon)
[SSC | Obon Notes]
July 14th of the lunar calendar Old Bon Festival, Middle Day (Nakanuhi)
Lunar calendar July 15 Thanksgiving-Feed Date (Ukui)
Autumn Equinox
August・8月・はちぐゎち・Hachigwachi
People celebrating 88 years
Held every year for three days from August 8th to 10th according to the lunar calendar, it is a valuable folk dance, classical dance, and kumiodori dance of Tarama Village to pray for a rich harvest.
★ Yokabi is a worship service to exorcise evil spirits, and is characterized by the setting off of firecrackers at night .
[What is Shibasashi?]
Since it is also the season for harvesting beans, we offer red kashchi with adzuki beans to pray for good health. In many homes, August Kashichi is held at the same time as Shibasashi, an event to ward off evil spirits.
juugu-ya, phr. The fifteenth night of the eighth lunar month, time of a domestic rite for the moon god.
September・9月・くんぐゎち・Kungwachi
Celebrated on 9/7 when someone reaches the age of 97. Kajimayaa means windmill, a sort of returning to a child like time. Wiki article
Chrysanthemum Sake Festival
Jusanya 十三夜 (also romanized Juusanya, translation “13th night”), September 13 of the lunar calendar. Jusanya is also referred to as 後の月 nochi no tsuki (later moon). It is often thought to bring bad luck to celebrate only Jugoya, since the 2 moon-viewing days are related.
Agricultural rituals held in various places during the period when rice cultivation was flourishing. Around the beginning of winter, we pray for a good harvest at the god of fire (Hinukan) and the Buddhist altar, and raise the village to pray to Mitake. It is still practiced in some areas of the Yaeyama Islands.
October・10月・じゅーぐゎち・Juugwachi
The day when the Kamadoya and the mansion are cleaned. A long time ago, in villages with Utaki and lion statues, they prayed for fire prevention and went around each house to call for fire precautions.
Winter Solstice
November・ 霜月 ・しむちち・Shimuchichi
fishing ritual on Kudaka
Performed every 12 years (next: Year of Horse 2026)
December・師走・しわーし・Shiwaashi
We pray for the health of our family by offering the steamed rice cake (Muchi) wrapped in shell ginger leaves to the Buddhist altar and the god of fire (Hinukan). It is still one of the most popular events.
Hinukan Celebration
Bowl cleaning info here
New Year's Eve