Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels
Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels
Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are bright, colorful, and unique. One of the most intriguing things at Meiji Jingu Shrine are the many Sake Barrels. They are refered to as kazaridaru in Japanese. These barrels are a decorative display giving honor to the gods. Traditionally, the people of Japan have always had a connection between the gods and the Sake they produce. Each year many barrels of Sake are donated. The Sake is used for religious festivals and the barrels form a unique display outside the shrine. In the physical, the barrels are empty. In the Spiritual, their significance is major. Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are a gift to the gods.
In Japan, Sake has always been an avenue to bring the people and their gods together. In some of the older religious texts, the word for Sake is miki. When written it is formed by using the symbol for wine and god. The people celebrate festivals at the Meiji Jingu Shrine and they are given Sake or Rice Wine to drink. With this drink brings happiness! The people are gathered a little closer to the gods. Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels become a spiritual connection. They becomes a symbol of happiness, prosperity, and success.
In these modern times, Miki or O-Miki is reserved for the Rice Wine used in Shinto rites and festivals. What a beautiful way of bringing the Shinto gods together with the people. This is a time of great reverence! It is a happy time! It is a time of prayer. Sipping a cup of Sake brings you together with the gods. This is a time of unity! The Shrines conduct rites asking for the prosperity of the brewers of Sake. The brewers donate the grog or Sake that the Shrines need for it’s many celebrations and festivals.
The empty barrels is a powerful symbol uniting the brewers of Sake with their gods. It would be wasteful and not prudent to send more Sake than what is needed, so they send the right amount of Sake and many empty barrels. With well over 1,000 brewers of Sake in Japan, a brewer generally provides one bottle and/or an empty barrel for the display that each shrine has. The most important part is the gesture. Asking for or giving more Sake than what will be used would be considered wasteful. Waste goes against the traditional values of Japan and the Shinto gods!
Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are bright! They are colorful! They are unique! They are standard decoration at every shrine in Japan. You do not even need to be part of a shrine to get one for your home. These Sake barrels are called Komodaru. Komo is the straw that has been woven around the posts. You can even buy one for your home altar. The important part is the symbolism. Every Japanese desires to keep the gods pleased with them. Sake barrels are the link between them and their gods. It is a heart connection. Meiji Jingu Shrine Sake Barrels are a must for every Japanese home altar!
ExploreTraveler has been creating travel articles, books, videos, and podcasts for several years now. It is our intention to bring our older material for others here to enjoy here on Steemit, and to create new material here as well. We invite you to click on our links to the original content, and to also follow us there as well.
This post was originally posted June 30, 2015 at:
https://exploretraveler.com/meiji-jingu-shrine-sake-barrels/
If you have come here from our social media channels such as FaceBook or Twitter consider getting your free account, and make sure to follow all of us @exploretraveler @pilgrimtraveler @johngentry @vetvso @johngentryjr @karengentry @elijahgentry @floridagypsy and we will follow you back.
"Helping bring the world together one friend at a time. So travel and discover that the world is full of wonderful people." - ExploreTraveler @exploretraveler
We have a travel tip audio book that will help you that you can purchase at Audible --> Here
Happy Travels,
© 2017 ExploreTraveler. All Rights Reserved.