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Japanese Harai exorcism

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Japanese Shinto culture

The Japanese culture has a religion of Shinto embedded within it. This is followed at the many shrines around the country. One of their important jobs is the process of purification for health and good luck.

In this blog about one of these cultures, Aizawa sensei gives a brief introduction to one of these Shinto beliefs and traditions. Read the Japanese to learn more vocabulary and listen to the video to learn fluent Japanese pronunciation.

厄祓い
Japanese exorcism

aizawa

By AIZAWA Toshi

yakubarai

日本には、厄年というものがあります。男性は、25歳、42歳、61歳、女性は19歳、33歳、37歳と言われています。19歳、25歳は青春期、33歳、42歳は、人生の曲がり角であり、男性は社会的に責任が重くなり、女性は子育てや主婦として多忙な時期であり、それぞれ精神的・肉体的にも疲労が多く、事故やけが、病気になりやすい時期とも言われています。

そのため、神仏の加護を受けて、災難を防ぐために行われる慣習を「厄祓い」と言います。

厄祓いの時期は、地域によって異なりますが、年の節目である新年1月1日から節分までに行われることが多いようです。 一般的に厄祓いは、厄年に行われますが、日々の生活で少しずつ溜まっていく「日常厄」を、祓い落とすために、日本の行事である2月3日の節分は、厄年に関係なく行われる、まさに厄祓いの行事の一つとも言えます。

そしてこの厄祓いは、日本だけではなく、中国やイギリス、トルコなど、いくつかの国では、厄祓いの仕方は違うものの、厄祓いを行う風習があるようです。

皆さんの国でも、厄祓いの風習はありますか。厄祓いの仕方について調べてみるのも、興味深いですね。

To listen to this blog, please watch our Youtube video.

日本(にほん)には、厄年(やくどし)というものがあります。男性(だんせい)は、25歳(さい)、42歳(さい)、61歳(さい)、女性(じょせい)は19歳(さい)、33歳(さい)、37歳(さい)と言(い)われています。19歳(さい)、25歳(さい)は青春期(せいしゅんき)、33歳(さい)、42歳(さい)は、人生(じんせ)の曲(ま)がり角(かど)であり、男性(だんせい)は社会的(しゃかいてき)に責任(せきにん)が重(おも)くなり、女性(じょせい)は子育(こそだ)てや主婦(しゅふ)として多忙(たぼう)な時期(じき)であり、それぞれ精神的(せいしんてき)・肉体的(にくたいてき)にも疲労(ひろう)が多(おお)く、事故(じこ)やけが、病気(びょうき)になりやすい時期(じき)とも言(い)われています。

そのため、神仏(しんぶつ)の加護(かご)を受(う)けて、災難(さいなん)を防(ふせ)ぐために行(おこな)われる慣習(かんしゅう)を「厄祓(やくばら)い」と言(い)います。

厄祓(やくばら)いの時期(じき)は、地域(ちいき)によって異(こと)なりますが、年(とし)の節目(ふしめ)である新年(しんねん)1月(いちがつ)1日(ついたち)から節分(せつぶん)までに行(おこな)われることが多(おお)いようです。 一般的(いっぱんてき)に厄祓(やくばら)いは、厄年(やくどし)に行(おこな)われますが、日々(ひび)の生活(せいかつ)で少(すこ)しずつ溜(た)まっていく「日常厄」(にちじょうやく)を、祓(はら)い落(お)とすために、日本(にほん)の行事(ぎょうじ)である2月(にがつ)3日(みっか)の節分(せつぶん)は、厄年(やくどし)に関係(かんけい)なく行(おこな)われる、まさに厄祓(やくばら)いの行事(ぎょうじ)の一(ひと)つとも言(い)えます。

そしてこの厄祓(やくばら)いは、日本(にほん)だけではなく、中国(ちゅうごく)やイギリス、トルコなど、いくつかの国(くに)では、厄祓(やくばら)いの仕方(しかた)は違(ちが)うものの、厄祓(やくばら)いを行(おこな)う風習(ふうしゅう)があるようです。

皆(みな)さんの国(くに)でも、厄祓(やくばら)いの風習(ふうしゅう)はありますか。厄祓(やくばら)いの仕方(しかた)について調(しら)べてみるのも、興味深(きょうみぶか)いですね。

Japanese exorcism

In Japan there is something known as “Yaku Doshi” (an unlucky year or critical age). For men it is said to be the ages of 25, 42 and 61 and for women, the ages of 19, 33 and 37 years old. 19 and 25 are the puberty stages, 33 and 42 are the turning points in life, when the responsibility that men bear in society tends to get heavier, and for women the stage when life gets busier for them as couples and with raising children and so it is said to be the stage when it gets easier for each person to fall ill or have accidents since mental and physical fatigue increases.

For this reason, there is a custom of seeking divine protection to protect from calamity called “Yaku Barai”(a kind of exorcism). The period for this “Yaku Barai” differs from area to area, but most take place during the period between the milestone of the year start, January 1st and the date of Setsubun.

Generally, one has the “Yaku Barai” during one's “Yaku Doshi”, but in order to remove daily misfortunes that build up little by little every day there is the Japanese event of Setsubun on February 3rd which takes place unrelated to the “Yaku Doshi”and really is one of the “Yaku Barai” events in itself.

This process of “Yaku Barai” is not just in Japan but there are also similar traditions in various countries including China, England and Turkey and while the methods of “Yaku Barai” may differ, the customs of this type of exorcism seem to exist.

Do you have a “Yaku Barai” custom in your country ? It would be interesting to research the different methods of exorcism, wouldn't it?

厄年(やくどし)unlucky year; critical age

責任(せきにん)responsibility

多忙(たぼう)busy

精神的(せいしんてき)mental

災難(さいなん)calamity

厄祓(やくばら)いexorcism

節目(ふしめ)milestone

行事(ぎょうじ)event

風習(ふうしゅう)custom

興味深(きょうみぶか)いinteresting

aizawa

Konnichiwa. My name is Aizawa. My hometown is Gifu, a place surrounded by the nature of mountains and rivers, but now I'm living in Yokohama, a place overflowing with emotions left over from history here and there, with my family of three. Recently a toy poodle became a member of our family, so now we enjoy spending our days cheerfully.

I have experienced spending a year as an exchange student in Australia . When I first got to know another culture I lost my bearings a little, but at the same time I got a chance to see Japan from abroad, and I was able to feel the beauty of Japanese culture again, so it was a valuable time for me.

In order to learn a language well, you have to do a lot of listening and a lot of conversation. Read the textbook, then use the Japanese actually within the lessons, then listen and the talk again, this is the first step towards improving your Japanese.

I think everyone's motives for learning Japanese are different, but the feeling of wanting to understand the language and speak it, is the same for everyone. Let's face our goals and create fun lessons together.

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Guest Tuesday, 19 March 2024