{"id":76409,"date":"2021-01-04T23:30:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T14:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=76409"},"modified":"2024-12-19T12:08:40","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T03:08:40","slug":"oji-kitsune-new-year-tokyo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/oji-kitsune-new-year-tokyo\/","title":{"rendered":"Oji Kitsune no Gyoretsu: New Year in Tokyo Like You’ve Never Seen Before"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re in Tokyo on New Year’s Eve, Oji<\/a> is where you need to be. Oji is the magical neighborhood of the Kanto foxes, and December 31 is the most important day of the year for these mythological creatures. Don’t get scared when you see yourself surrounded by all of them; this is not a time for their usual trickery. It is a day to celebrate with humans joyfully and peacefully the transition from one year to another, wearing their best garments while paying homage to Inari, and asking for his blessings to get a good fortune for one more year. It is the day of the Kitsune no Gyoretsu<\/em> (\u738b\u5b50\u72d0\u306e\u884c\u5217 – The Fox Parade).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Oji? It’s where their sacred tree, the enoki<\/em> (Japanese hackberry tree), is located. Once gathered under this tree, they take human form and put on their most colorful kimonos. The midnight chimes mark the beginning of a procession with Japanese lanterns on their way to Oji Inari Jinja Shrine (\u738b\u5b50\u7a32\u8377\u795e\u793e).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s what the legend says and yours truly writes these lines to confirm that it’s absolutely true.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Giant
Young foxes carrying a giant fox mask<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Enoki: A Tree with History <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Japanese mythology, Inari <\/em>(\u7a32\u8377) is a deity that often takes the form of a fox. Traditionally, it also protects crops, commerce, and prosperity in general. As one of the most popular gods, it’s very common to find sanctuaries honoring Inari throughout the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The enoki, on the other hand, is a tree with an important cultural and historical tradition, considered sacred in many shrines<\/a>. In addition, since the Edo period, they also functioned as a kind of proto infrastructure. The government planted them along the most important roads in the country to mark the distances for travelers. The foxes know perfectly that the enoki is the ideal place to start their celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Hiroshige's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fox<\/figure>\n
Left: Utagawa’s Ukiyo-e illustrating the gathering of the foxes under the enoki, the sacred tree of Oji. Right: Statue of a fox at Shozoku Inari Jinja shrine, located at the same place where the enoki is supposed to be.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hiroshige Utagawa<\/a> (\u6b4c\u5ddd\u5e83\u91cd), one of the great masters of Ukiyo-e<\/em> (\u6d6e\u4e16\u7d75), decided to depict the scene in one of his famous engravings in 1856. The story and its illustration were the inspiration for the Oji citizens to start holding the event in 1993. Nowadays the sacred tree no longer exists. In its place, there’s a tiny but very cute shrine called Shozoku Inari Jinja (\u88c5\u675f\u7a32\u8377\u795e\u793e, Inari Shrine of Disguise), where the attendees begin their journey to Inari Shrine.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Street
If you don’t come prepared, don’t panic! The stalls in the area have everything you need to join the party.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The Charm of Oji’s Festive Atmosphere<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although Kitsune no Gyoretsu starts at midnight, it is convenient to be in the area several hours earlier. Not just to ensure a proper place to watch it but also to enjoy the festive atmosphere, taste the food from the different stalls and for those ready for a step further, paint their faces or to buy a mask to “camouflage” themselves among the partying foxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Young<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Selfie<\/figure>\n
Enjoying the fun atmosphere of the neighborhood is really worth it, as it can be considered the only night festival in Tokyo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Being one of the coldest winter nights, hot sake or amazake<\/em><\/a> are your friends, especially when it comes to standing guard while you wait for the parade to pass through Kita Hon Dori Avenue (\u5317\u672c\u901a\u308a). Good luck trying to squeeze yourself in the starting point in Shozoku Inari Jinja. I didn’t manage to arrive early enough, and not a single soul could fit between the huge crowd already gathered.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Local businesses also ready up fast food or drink stalls so that no one goes hungry during the parade.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

When midnight arrives and the New Year’s celebration begins, while chanting Akemashite omedet<\/em>o gozaimasu<\/em> (\u660e\u3051\u307e\u3057\u3066\u304a\u3081\u3067\u3068\u3046\u3054\u3056\u3044\u307e\u3059, Happy New Year), the foxes start heading towards the Inari Shrine to the sound of flutes and drums. Be aware \u2014 this phrase is only said once the New Year has begun. Up until December 31, what you should say is Yoi otoshi o<\/em> (\u3088\u3044\u304a\u5e74\u3092, Have a Happy Year).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Fox<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fox<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n
Various creatures make an appearance during the parade. The bottom image shows a lion participating in the festivities due to a tradition originating in China where the strength of a lion is used to drive away evil spirits during the New Year’s celebrations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to Participate in the Event?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The parade always has 108 members, after registering themselves through the event’s official website<\/a>. For 1,000 yen per person, anyone can participate until all the spots are filled. In the unlikely event that a position is still not covered by the day of the event, it’s also possible to sign up on the spot. But don’t count on it, and better sign up as soon as possible: it’s the most popular event in the neighborhood, and it grows even more so with each passing year.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"A
The guest of honor<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
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\"foxes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"foxes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"foxes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"little<\/figure>\n
Foxes playing drums and carrying flashlights<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s mandatory for those who wish to be an official part of the event to wear a kimono. Not a yukata <\/em>(Japanese summer kimono), a jinbei <\/em>(very informal Japanese summer clothing), or warrior costumes. It is a gala to receive the New Year, and the costumes must go accordingly. The traditional fox makeup is another requirement, either made at home or by paying 500 yen to have it done before the parade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"a<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"participant<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"participants<\/figure>\n
Foreign guests also participate in the event. The parade’s popularity steadily grows beyond Tokyo’s borders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Final Moments of the Kitsune no Gyoretsu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once they reach Oji Inari Jinja Shrine, at about 12:45am-1am, the foxes start climbing the temple stairs for the final part of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"foxes<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Little<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Stairs<\/figure>\n
Parade participants climb the steps of Oji Inari Jinja before proceeding to the evening’s final event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Right beside the temple hall, there is a place where Kagura <\/em><\/a>(\u795e\u697d), a ritual Shinto dance in honor of the gods, is performed to greet the New Year’s arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"The
A ritual dance is performed to celebrate and welcome the New Year<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Once the dance is over, the event is finis\u2026 no, wait. It’s already early morning on January 1. This means that since you’re already here, you may as well be done with the first visit to a temple or sanctuary of the year. This practice is called Hatsumode <\/a><\/em>(\u521d\u8a63).<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Visitors
Most parade visitors take the chance to make their first visit of the year to Oji Inari Jinja Shrine.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Finally, an interesting video shows the development of Kitsune no Gyoretsu as well as the general atmosphere of the evening:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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