Shinto ritual Oikemono and Ginkgo seeds

A Shinto ritual at Kamo Shrine "Oikemono", Kamo Shrine in Kamo district of Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan.

Oikemono is a very rare Shinto ritual (Oikemono" means "things to bury") which has been held every year continuously since 1,000 years ago. It is a divination of crop prospects for the year, which is by putting some seeds, also Ginnan (Ginkgo) seeds,  into a wooden box and checking how the seeds have germinated digging up a year later. All of these seeds used to be valuable foods which people could get in everyday life in ancient times.

This event is held every January 16th in the lunar calendar.
The ritual lasted two hours; the result was that they would have a good crop again this year.

Photo: genjapan.com
Video by Gen Japan on YouTube.

Subscribe to receive free email updates.-- Cor Kwant

Visit my website The Ginkgo Pages.

Follow me on Twitter @theginkgopages