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The city of Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture has many festivals () and other events in all of the seasons, usually based on its rich historical heritage. They are often sponsored by private businesses and, unlike those in Kyoto, they are relatively small-scale events attended mostly by locals and a few tourists.〔Kamakura Official Textbook for Culture and Tourism, pages 170 to 188 〕 January in particular has many because it's the first month of the year, so authorities, fishermen, businesses and artisans organize events to pray for their own health and safety, and for a good and prosperous working year. Kamakura's numerous temples and shrines, first among them city symbols Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū and Kenchō-ji, organize many events too, bringing the total to over a hundred.〔 == January == 1, 2 and 3 - at Hongaku-ji: Celebration of Ebisu, god of commerce. Young women dressed in traditional costumes (Fuku Musume) sell lucky charms made of bamboo and sake.〔 Minamoto no Yoritomo made Ebisu the shogunate's tutelary god, but now people flock to the temple to wish for a good new year.〔 There's a similar event on the tenth too, called , and this time the girls distribute Fukumochi (rice cakes).〔 2nd - at Sakanoshita: This event marks the beginning of the working year for local fishermen, who pray for big catches and the safety of their boats.〔 Tangerines are thrown into the sea, boats carrying flags gather along the coast and the captain offers sake to , the boat's guardian ''kami''.〔 4th - at Koshigoe: See ''Funaoroshi'' above. 4th - at Tsurugaoka Hachiman: This event marks the beginning of the working year for local construction workers who, for the ceremony, use traditional working tools.〔 The festival also commemorates Minamoto no Yoritomo, who ordered the reconstruction of the main building of the shrine after it was destroyed by fire in 1191.〔 The ceremony takes place at 1:00 PM at Tsurugaoka Hachiman.〔 5th - at Tsurugaoka Hachiman: Festival to keep evil spirits away.〔 Archers shoot at a target on which is painted the word "devil".〔 15th- at Tsurugaoka Hachiman: The paper decorations used during the New Year festivities are publicly burned.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Kamakura's festivals and events」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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