Tondo-seasonal event/とんど焼き

Tondo held in Shobara city, Hiroshima/広島県庄原市のとんど

日本語は英語の後にあります。

The 15th of January is called “Koshougatsu” which means the day of the end of New Year’s series of event.
There is a Shinto ritual conducted by Shinto priests and locals to pray for their happiness and good health all through the year.
Although it varies depending on the region, it’s common to burn the Kadomatsu and Shimekazari used for New Year’s, old Shinto tablets and used papers for practicing calligraphy.
Shinto priests or local elders marshal by reciting a Shinto prayer.
Some believe that they will be able to see off the Toshigami deity who came to their house on New Year’s Day with the event.
Others believe that they will be able to avoid catching a cold and live a healthy life all through the year when you warm yourself by the fire, when we eat grilled rice cakes over its ember and drink sacred Sake or rice wine offering toward the local Shinto tutelary deities.
The other belief is that the higher the fire of burning their calligraphy papers rises, the greater their handwriting will improve.

This annual event is conducted across Japan and is called by many different names such as Tondo, Donto, Otakiage, Sagiccho, Onibidaki, Saino-Kami and so on.

We’ll share one of the annual events called “Tondo” held at a village in Shobara city, Hiroshima prefecture, so that you could understand what this event is.

In the morning, everyone in the neighborhood cuts bamboos and assembles them in the rice field.
The sacred Shimenawa ropes used for New Year’s decorations are gathered and put under the assembled bamboos.
And then, we do the first calligraphy of the New Year and put it over the assembled bamboo.
After offering Sake, rice, dried fish and salt to Toshigami deity, we take photos together in front of the decoration as a remembrance.
An elder of our village says to start the ceremony that May everyone be peaceful and healthy.
After clapping our hands twice and praying toward the decoration called “Tondo” with our hands held, persons born in the Year of Dragon and a village leader put it on fire together.

Although it was a calm weather with cold air, sudden wind made the fire strong.
It caused the big sound of breaking the bamboos.
In addition, dragon painting drawn on Japanese Washi paper became smoke while burning and climbed up to the sky like a dragon.

For your information, this dragon painting was drawn just for the event, which means it will be burned.
I guess it might have a similar feeling toward cherry blossoms for Japanese people to find a beauty of short life after a good achievement.

It is also a great social gathering for the local community.
It’s better to wear casual clothes when you join it, because your dress might have holes due to the fire powder.

【Translation for language learners of either English or Japanese】/英語・日本語学習者向け翻訳えいご　・　　にほんごがくしゅうしゃむ　　ほんやく

1月15日は「小正月」と呼ばれ、新年の一連の行事が終わる日を意味します。
無病息災を祈願する神社や地域で行われる神事があります。
地域により様々ですが、お正月に使った門松やしめ飾り、神社の古い札、書道の練習した紙などを燃やすことは共通しています。神職や地域の長老が先導して執り行います。
歳神様をお見送りするとも、この火に当たったり、お神酒や残り火で焼いたお餅を頂くと、風邪をひかず健康に暮らせると信じられています。
また書き初めや習字を練習した紙を燃やし、高くあがると字が上手になるとも言われています。

この年中行事は、日本中で行われており、『とんど』、『どんと』『お焚き上げ』、『左義長さぎちょう, さぎっちょ』『鬼火焚き』、『塞さいの神』など様々な名前で呼ばれています。

どんなイベントなのかわかるように、広島県庄原市の『とんど焼き』をご紹介します。

朝、近所の皆さんで、竹を切り、田んぼに組み上げ、お正月に飾ったしめ飾りやしめ縄を持ち寄ります。
皆で一筆、書き初めをして、お酒・お米・お塩などをお供えした後、記念に集合写真を撮ります。
長老が子供にもわかりやすい言葉で一言「みんな平和で健康でありますように！」と、二拍手してとんどに手を合わせて、無病息災をお祈りし、辰年生まれさんと班長が点火します。

冷え込んた穏やかな天気でしたが、急に突風が吹き、竹の弾ける大きな音と共に、和紙に描かれた龍の絵も、煙となって、天高く登ってゆきました（写真参照）。

因みに、龍の絵は「とんど」の為だけに描かれました、つまり絵は一緒に燃やされてしまいます。
日本人が桜に対して抱く、人生の美と儚さに共通する部分もあるかもしれません。

地域社会にとって素晴らしい社交的の場でもあります。
火の粉で服に穴があくかもしれないので、ご参加の折は気をつけてくださいね。

Pocket