Ota Ward Cultural Arts Information Paper "ART bee HIVE" vol.15 + bee!

Issued April 2023, 7

vol.15 Summer issue

The Ota Ward Cultural Arts Information Paper "ART bee HIVE" is a quarterly information paper that contains information on local culture and arts, newly published by the Ota Ward Cultural Promotion Association from the fall of 2019.
"BEE HIVE" means a beehive.
Together with the ward reporter "Mitsubachi Corps" gathered by open recruitment, we will collect artistic information and deliver it to everyone!
In "+ bee!", We will post information that could not be introduced on paper.

Artistic place: Anamori Inari Shrine + bee!

Art place: CO-valley + bee!

Future attention EVENT + bee!

Light up the precincts with the thoughts of each person
"Anamori Inari Shrine / Lantern Festival"

Anamori Inari Shrine was built during the Bunka Bunsei era (early 19th century) when Hanedaura (now Haneda Airport) was being reclaimed.Since the Meiji period, as the center of Inari worship in the Kanto region, it has been revered not only in the Kanto region, but also throughout Japan, Taiwan, Hawaii, and the mainland of the United States.In addition to Torii-maemachi, there are hot spring towns and beaches in the surrounding area, and the Keihin Anamori Line (now the Keikyu Airport Line) was opened as a pilgrimage railway, making it a major tourist destination that represents Tokyo.Immediately after the war, due to the expansion of the Tokyo airfield, we moved to our current location with the local residents.

At Anamori Inari Shrine, on Fridays and Saturdays in late August every year, about 8 shrines are lit up on the precincts to pray for the fulfillment of various wishes.Paper lanternAndonThe "Dedication Festival" will be held.Many of the patterns on the lanterns are hand-made, and their unique designs are attractive.During this period, Anamori Inari Shrine transforms into a museum full of prayers. We asked Mr. Naohiro Inoue, the chief priest, about how the “Dedication Festival” began, how to participate, and the production process.

Anamori Inari Shrine on the day of the Lantern Festival Floating in the Darkness of a Summer Night

Dedicating a lantern is an act of showing gratitude to the gods.

When did the Lantern Festival begin?

"From August 4."

What was the impetus?

“A local shopping street is holding a summer festival in late August, and we decided to hold a festival together with the locals to revitalize the area. At Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto, there is a Yoimiya Festival in July, in which the entire precincts are decorated with paper lanterns.It started as a festival to offer paper lanterns in front of the shrine in homage to that."

Please tell us about the meaning and purpose of the Lantern Festival.

“Nowadays, offerings generally remind us of offerings, but originally harvested rice and marine products were offered to the gods in gratitude.gomyomiakashiIt means offering light to God.Some may wonder what it means to offer light, but candles and oil used to be very precious.Offering lanterns to the gods has long been an act of showing gratitude to the gods. "

Hand-painted lanterns full of individuality

Since it is a votive item, I think it is better to draw it yourself.

What kind of people participate in the Lantern Festival?

“Basically, the lanterns are dedicated mainly by people who have revered Anamori Inari Shrine on a daily basis.”

Can anyone offer a lantern?

“Anyone can make an offering. Offering a gomyo is essentially the same act as offering money at the worship hall and praying. Anyone can donate as long as they have faith.”

How long have you been recruiting?

"Around July, we will distribute leaflets at the shrine office and accept those who wish."

Looking at the lanterns, the patterns are really various and each one is unique.Did you draw this yourself?

“Although they are available at the shrine, I think it is better to draw them yourself as they are offerings. In the past, you used to draw directly on paper, but now we receive image data from a computer or other device and print them out here. You can also do it.The number of people who use their own paintings as paper lanterns is increasing year by year.”

What kind of paper should I use when drawing directly on paper?

"A3 copy paper is fine. Japanese paper of that size is fine. Just be careful as it may be exposed to the rain a little. You can check the details in the application guidelines."

Red Otorii and Main HallⓒKAZNIKI

Dedicate a light to the shrine yourself.

How many people will be offering lanterns?

“In recent years, we have had the corona disaster, so it varies from year to year, but around 1,000 lanterns have been donated. Not only locals, but also people from far away visit the shrine.The number of tourists is sure to increase this year, so I think it will become even more lively.”

Where should the lanterns be placed?

“The approach leading from the station, the fence in the precincts, and the front of the worship hall. The main purpose of coming to the shrine is to worship at the shrine, so it is to light up the way and make it easier for everyone to visit. Flags It's the same as setting up a shrine.I think it's also a way to increase the motivation to visit."

Candlelight is still used today.

"It's just a part of it. If it's windy, it's dangerous to use all candles, and it's quite difficult. That said, considering the original meaning of the lantern festival, it's boring.mourning fireimibi*It is desirable to make each separately.In places close to the gods in front of the shrine, fires are lit directly, and in places far away, electricity is used. "

If I come here on the day of the event, would it be possible for me to light the lanterns myself?

"Of course you can. It's the ideal form, but the time for lighting the fire is fixed, and everyone can't come on time. There are many people who live far away and can't come on the day. We can have a priest or a shrine maiden light the fire instead."

When you light the fire yourself, you become more and more aware that you have dedicated it.

“I would like the participants to perform the act of offering the light to the altar itself.

Each of you will dedicate your own technique and performing arts.

I heard that you are looking for photographs, paintings and illustrations of shrines and local areas here.Please talk about it.

“A shrine is made up of acts of service such as various dedications and donations. It is also one of the important services to receive.Donation does not equal money.It is a song, a dance, a creative work such as a painting, or a technique or thing that you have refined. It has been practiced since ancient times.It is essentially the same vector act as offering a coin offering or offering lanterns with candles.”

Finally, please give a message to the residents.

“Even people from Ota Ward have heard the name of Anamori Inari Shrine, but there are a surprising number of people who don’t know much about it or who have never been there. I would like everyone to get to know the shrine through participation. Instead of a one-way street, I would like each and every one of you to light up the precincts with your own thoughts. We would love for you to join us.”

The flower chozuburi service provided by parishioners, and now we are cultivating flowers for the hanachozub in the precincts.

* Infernal Fire: UncleannessSaiTherePurified fire.Used for Shinto rituals.

Profile

Mr. Inoue, chief priest ⓒKAZNIKI

Naohiro Inoue

Anamori Inari Shrine chief priest

Lantern Festival / Lantern Dedication

August 8th (Friday) and 25th (Saturday) 26:18-00:21

Available at the shrine office (7/1 (Sat) - 8/24 (Thu))

Write your name and wish on each lantern and light it up (1 yen per lantern).

Anamori Inari Shrine

• Location: 5-2-7 Haneda, Ota-ku, Tokyo 
• Access: XNUMX-minute walk from Anamoriinari Station on the Keikyu Airport Line, XNUMX-minute walk from Tenkubashi Station on the Keikyu Airport Line/Tokyo Monorail
• TEL／03-3741-0809

website

I would be happy if people who usually do not interact meet and create a culture that has never existed before.
"CO-valley"Co Valley

If you walk about 100 meters toward Umeyashiki from Omorimachi Station on the Keihin Electric Express Line, you'll come across a mysterious space with iron pipes under the overpass.That is the urban secret base CO-valley.Representative Mai Shimizu and management member Takihara慧KeiWe talked to Mr.

Secret base ⓒKAZNIKI that suddenly appears under the overpass

There is a good thing that various things can be mixed.

When are you open?

Shimizu: We opened in November 2022. Originally, we had been operating a space called SHIBUYA valley in Shibuya since 11. It started with an event around a bonfire on the roof of the building behind Tower Records. It was a limited space. Development and construction had started in the surrounding buildings, so we decided to come here by chance.”

Please tell us about the origin of the name CO-valley.

ShimizuSmall factoryMachikobaThere is also the implication that we would like to “collaborate” with local town factories and residents, such as the children’s cafeteria of the neighborhood association. "

Takihara: The prefix "CO" means "together."

Please tell us about the concept.

Shimizu: “I would be happy if people who normally don’t interact with each other meet and interact with each other in the valley of the town, which has been unused until now, and a new culture is born. It was like "young people." This place is much more expansive. Neighborhood associations and artists, town factories and musicians, the elderly and children, all sorts of people come together.

Last year, we held a Christmas market together with the neighborhood association.It was an event where the local people and artists could naturally mingle with each other.After that, artists who participated at that time held drawing workshops at the "Children's Cafeteria" sponsored by the neighborhood association, and musicians said they wanted to perform live.I hope it will become a place where local people and artists can interact and do interesting things.We are seeing signs of that. "

Decorated for each event and transformed into a different space each time (opening event 2022)

A place under construction every day, forever unfinished.I wish I could always change.

Please tell us about the art events you have held so far.

Takihara: We held an event called “Urban Tribal” where we brought together ethnic instruments and held a session. Australian Aboriginal instrument didgeridoo, Indian tabla, African kalimba, bells, handmade instruments, etc. Anything is OK. For those who can't play, we have prepared a simple instrument for the session, so anyone can feel free to participate.It's fun to spread out the carpet and sit in a circle and play together.Every month, the full moon It's held regularly in the evenings."

Shimizu: We performed a 90-minute live performance of ambient music called “90 minutes Zone.” Enjoy meditation, video jockey, live painting, and live music in an indoor space decorated with Japanese candles. I have it, so please take a look."

Do the decorations change for each event?

Shimizu: Every time, it becomes the color of the organizer. Since there are many projects in collaboration with artists, there were painting exhibitions, installations, carpets, and tents. Every time a customer comes, the expression changes, and they say that they can't believe it's the same place.The space changes depending on who uses it.The place is under construction every day and is forever unfinished.It's always changing. I hope so.”

90 minutes Zone (2023)

I want to dig up local notable people and artists and create an archive.

Are local people participating in the event?

Shimizu: “People who are interested after seeing the sign come to visit us casually.”

Takihara ``At the time of the opening event, we had a big outdoor live performance.

Shimizu: “People with parents and children and dogs were also relaxing under the overpass.”

Takihara “However, it is unfortunate that we will open in November 2022, so the season has always been winter.Inevitably, there will be more indoor events. ”

Shimizu: "It's about to start. I want it to get warmer soon."

Please let me know if you have any specific plans for spring and summer.

Shimizu: Last December, we held an event with the neighborhood association, where we had a marché outside and a live music performance inside. It was a lot of fun. We hold an event called club every other Thursday.It's a networking event for the people who know the management members only, but from now on, I'd like to do a talk show, a live performance, and a networking event on YouTube. I would like to discover local notable people and artists and create an archive.”

Urban Tribal (2023)

An area where you can clearly see the city and people's faces.

Please tell us about the attractions of the Omori area.

Shimizu: I used to live in Shibuya, but now I live halfway here. Prices are cheap, and above all, the shopping street is really nice. Even when I went to buy pots and other hardware, the shopkeepers were kind enough to take care of me, like my mother.

Takihara: One of the characteristics of the area along the Keikyu Line is that there is at least one shopping street at each station.In addition, there are many independent stores, not chain stores.

Shimizu: Even in public baths, everyone seems to know each other.

Representative Shimizu (left) and management member Takihara (right) ⓒKAZNIKI

Please give a message to everyone in Ota City.

Shimizu: 365 days a year, anyone can come and visit us. Each and every one of us will do what we like and live our lives. And culture is like that.Each person values ​​what they love, people, things, and creations, and I do it with the feeling that it would be nice if that spreads."

Relaxing in the sun in a hammockⓒKAZNIKI

CO-valley

• Location: 5-29-22 Omorinishi, Ota-ku, Tokyo
• Access/1 minute walk from Omorimachi Station on the Keikyu Line
• Business days/hours/events vary.For more information, please visit our website.
• TEL: 080-6638-0169

website

Attention EVENT information may be canceled or postponed in the future to prevent the spread of new coronavirus infections.
Please check each contact for the latest information.

stopover

Strolling at the Airport ~Haneda, Ota Ward Airplanes and Cats~
T.Fujiba (Toshihiro Fujibayashi) photo exhibition

 Forest of Tales ~Storytelling and Ghost Story with Satsuma Biwa "Hoichi without Ears"~

Slow LIVE '23 in Ikegami Honmonji 20th Anniversary

Venice Biennale 1964 Four representatives from Japan

Tomonori Toyofuku 《Untitled》

Contact

Public Relations and Public Hearing Section, Culture and Arts Promotion Division, Ota Ward Cultural Promotion Association