January 2012

December 31 and January 1 - 2 Hatsumode 2012
1st shrine visit of New Year
Every one can receive Okami's Blessing /good luck for new year.

Dec.31,2011 (Sat)
Open gate- 11:30pm-0:30
SAITANSAI (first ceremony of new year ) at midnight

Jan.1 (Sun), 2012
Open gate – 9:30am-5pm
Oharae(ceremony) Every 45min.
10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15 1:00, 1:45, 2:30, 3:15, 4:00

Jan.2 (Mon), 2012
Open gate – 9:30am-5pm
Oharae(ceremony) Every hour.
10:00, 11:00, 12:00,1:00,2:00, 3:00, 4:00

1. We will close gate for security except Open gate time.
   Shrine ground will be open when gate is open. Thank you for your cooperation.
2. No pets allowed on the shrine ground. Please keep them in your car.
3. You can enjoy
   1) Free hot tea on the shrine ground
   2) Purchase omamori ( amulet), ofuda, hamaya, omikuji etc…..
   on the shrine ground without receiving ceremony.
4. 1st 800 people who receive ceremony will be given "Good luck candy"
5. Please prepare ceremony fee, minimum $7.00 per person. Including babies.
   
   

January 15 - Koshinsatsutakiageshiki- purification and burning of used amulets
Registration is at 10:30 AM, ceremony will begin from 11:00. Renewal is central to Shinto thinking. Things received from the Shinto Shrine such and Ofuda (Symbols of OKami) and Omamori (amulets imbued with protective power of OKami) are generally renewed after one year. As the Ofuda and Omamori of the previous year have worked hard to bring OKami’s Ki and protection to us and we are very grateful and don’t merely discard them at the end of their working lives…we return them to the Jinja where they can be purified completely and then burned. The ceremony to purify the energy of the previous year feels so renewing and we can enjoy the fresh feeling from new Ofuda, Gofu and Omamori.

February 2012

February 5 - Setsubunnsai- Season division, astrological opening of new year
Registration at 10:30AM. Ceremony begins at 11:00 AM Setsubun-sai, commonly known as"O-mame-maki"( the bean throwing festival) is a very popular New Years ritual related to the old calendar. The literal meaning of Setsubun is "season division",coming at the end of "Kan"(coldest season)....Kan lasts 30 days and includes Daikan (major cold) and Shokan (minor cold) . With the season finale comes Setsubun and the feeling of the beginning of Spring and the agricultural year. The ceremony begins at Tsubaki America Shrine with a ritual purification,offerings and prayers of gratitude to OKami led by the Shinto Priest. Then participants move outside the shrine and the Tsubaki Kannagara Guuji shoots 3 hama-ya (misfortune dispelling arrows) to purify the past/present/future. Then adults and children attending throw the "Daizu" (soybeans) while shouting "Fuku wa uchi,Oni wa soto" (Good luck in...bad luck out).After the celebrants scatter the soybeans they follow an age-old tradition and eat toasted soybeans....each one eating as many beans as his or her own age plus one more....the extra bean stands for the new year beginning. Special note of this years ceremony is that we are anticipating the arrival of 3 Oni to Shrine Grounds....children and adults can chase away these Oni by Mamemaki...

February 26 - Yakuyoke Taisai- critical age purification ceremony
Registration is at 10:30 AM, ceremony will begin from 11:00. MISFORTUNE PURIFICATION...a ceremony to purify or dispel misfortune...according to the "Kigaku" (or Shinto divination method) the ages of 25 and 42 for men and 19 and 33 for women are considered "Yakudoshi"or dangerous year...the years 42 for men and 33 for women are considered "Taiyaku"or grand climactic years with the preceding year "Maeyaku" and the following year :Atoyaku"requiring a special ceremony also.THESE AGES ARE ACCORDING TO KAZOEDOSHI.....(counting system where one is 1 year old at birth)

April 2012

April 15 - Shyunki Taisai / Great Spring Ceremony
Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America will conduct the SHYUNKI TAISAI (Great Spring Ceremony) on April 10 th from 11:00 AM (registration will be from 10:30). This sacred Shinto ceremony is one of the two times each year when the doors of the inner shrine are opened. Then the special Hatsuhoryo/Kensen (food offerings) including Ocha are offered to Okami (spirit of progress in harmony with Nature). Then the Shinto Priest offers prayers for everyone's health, happiness, safety, prosperity and safe passage through these unsettled times. Then Kamisama and guests can enjoy the performance of musical performance of Seattle Kabuki Academy and Kin-ie School of Shamisen. Please celebrate the Spring Season at Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America.

April 27, 28 and 29 - Kannagara Aiki Taisai
Annual Aikido Gasshuku featuring the Ireisai (Memorial for Mitama of Aiki Founder), Aikido Training, Misogi Shuho and Shinto Meditation.

Friday April 27
Registration and open Mat: 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Aiki Keiko and Yuuhai: 6:00 to 8:30
Group dinner in Granite Falls

Saturday April 28
Misogi Shuho: 8:00 am
Chouhai (morning ceremony): 9:00
Chinkonsai (Shinto active meditation) 9:30
Aiki Keiko: 10:00 to 1:00
IREISAI (Memorial for Mitama of O’Sensei: AIKO-NO-MIKOTO) 1:15
Naorae (potluck party) at Tsubaki House: 6:00 to 10:00

Sunday April 29
Misogi Shuho 8:30
Chouhai 9:30
Chinkonsai 10:00
Asagohan (Japanese breakfast [Mrs. Chika Barrish will prepare) at Kaikan 10:30 to 11:00
Aiki Keiko: 11:00 to 1:30

May 2012

DURING THE MONTH OF MAY - Kodomo-no-O-Harae/Prayer for Children's safe growth & protection
During the month (by appointment) of May the Special Children's Oharae will be offered. Children receiving this prayer will also receive Omamori (amulet) and Origami Kabuto (folded paper Samurai Helmet).

During the month of May everyone can enjoy special Koinobori (carp flags) at Tsubaki Shrine.

June 2012

June 24 - Nagoshi-no-Oharahi Taisai / Great mid year purification
Great Mid Year Ceremony. registration from 10:30 AM, Taisai from 11:00 This is one of the most enjoyable and interesting ceremonies and important days of Great Purification during the yearly cycle...during this ceremony the Oharahi-no-Kotoba (the most important words of Shinto) is read facing the sanpaisa instead of Shinzen and participants receive the Kirinusa Oharae (Oharahi Shinji)....this Taisai employs the sacred instruments of Katashiro (paper effigy/hitogata) and Chi-no-Wa (reed hoop) to purify any unfortunate Ki from first 1/2 of the year and then to receive fresh Ki/ power of Nature to successfully pass through the second 1/2 of the year...after the Chi-no-Wa Shinji participants can see the purified Katashiro go into the Mountain River (Katashiro Shinji).

July 2012

July 28-29 - Summer Shinto Seminar at Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America
Chance to experience the rythyms of the Shrine Life in harmony with seasonal change.. experience personally and learn about life enhancing Jinja Shinto practices to enliven and enrich everyday. This Summer Seminar will include Hounoshiki (donor's ceremony/ dedication) of Eto Toro and also the group hike on the sacred mountain.

Yamamoto Yukiyasu Guji teaches us to "live anew, find a new self and enter a new world each day"…shall we explore together how to actualize this teaching in our lives during the Summer Shinto Seminar?

September 2012

Sep 8-9 - ENMA Aki Matsuri and Mikoshi Festival in Bellevue East Side Nihon Matsuri at BCC www.ENMA.org with Omikoshi event at noon on Saturday 8th
Tsubaki America Mikoshi Ceremony and Procession will be from noon on Sat...please participate in the only Mikoshi Matsuri in North America...also we will have the booth for both days, please come by to say hello and receive information of Jinja Shinto and Japanese Culture.

October 2012

October 7 - Shyuuki Taisai / Great Fall Festival & Torii Hounoshiki/ Shrine gate ceremony
Great Fall Ceremony. Reception is from 10:30 AM, Ceremony at 11:00 AM. One of the 2 times each year that the doors of the Honden (inner shrine) are opened and special food including new rice is offered to OKami. Also Silk Strings Koto Ensemble will offer the concert to OKami that we can all enjoy as well.

October 20-21 - Fall Shinto Seminar
Chance to experience the rythyms of the Shrine Life in harmony with seasonal change.. experience personally and learn about life enhancing Jinja Shinto practices to enliven and enrich everyday.

November 2012

November 11 - Schichi-Go-San Taisai
Registration from 10:30am, Ceremony at 11:00am
Blessing will be made for children, boys ages 3 and 5, girls ages 3 and 7......this very important life-cycle event is one of the most popular in Japan...when parents take their children who are dressed in their best clothes (hare-gi) to the local shrine to offer gratitude and pray for contiued safe growth and development. Children attending this event receive the special 7-5-3 OMAMORI-SAN and the CHITOSE AME/ long-life candy in a colorful bag with many special images on it...this makes the very happy childhood memory. Those wishing to receive this special prayer who cannot attend the Taisai can make the appointment during the month of November.

December 2012

December 15 - Replacing All Shimenawa and Shide

December 16 - Oharahishiki and Omochitsuki
Registration at 10:30am, Ceremony at 11:00am
This "Great Day of Purifying the Root of Misfortune" is one of the two occasions/year that the Nakatomi-no-O-Harahi is read facing sanpaishya rather the Shinzen...sanpaishya also receive the Harai of "Kiri-Nusa".....on this occasion sanpaishya receive the "Jibarai-no-Gohei" which is capable of absorbing the tookodori (stale/obscuring energy/ki) which is then purified and the Jibarai Gohei is burned by the Shinto Priests .....please attend with your family and friends to prepare for the New Year......for people unable to attend who would like to participate please contact the shrine in order to receive the Gohei (after use it is sent back to the shrine for the Koshinsatatsutakeageshiki {purification/burning ritual}).
JIBARAI-NO-GOHEI: directions for use are:
please purify the impurities (tsumi/kegare) of the Year with this Gohei (1 per family)
each Family member hold the wooden stick of the Gohei and swing left/right/left around the shoulders (one by one)
if you do not attend O-HARAHI-SHIKI please bring the Gohei back to the shrine during your Hatsumode...it will then be purified and burned in Mid January during KOSHINSATSUTAKEAGESHIKI.

This year we will make the Kagami Mochi to offer at Oshyougatsu by hand with Kine/Usu..(we should have plenty to enjoy and take home also). Shrine friend and Mochi expert Mr. Shoichi Sugiyama of Sunset Ranch Woodworking (hinoki buro maker) will lead the Mochi-tsuki....we will make Omochi following Oharahishiki, from 11:40 till 2:00..(please particpate in this traditional activity , or just enjoy and eat delicious Tezukuri Mochi.