Lets Pray for Snow!

[Oyuki kigan 0]

Oyuki Matsuri is this Sunday, and the weather looks good. Anyone who is interested PM me and i'll give you the low-down

[Oyuki kigan 0]

The weather gods cooperated with us again, and the second Oyuki Maturi went off without a hitch (be accidentally flushing my keitai down the toilet that morning not withstanding...)

 

The turnout was an improvement over last year, when it was just me and a guy from the local snowboard shop where i put up posters.

 

This year, we had about 11 people hike up Asama Yama to pray for snow.

 

We also picked up some kindling on the way for the dude that lives year-round at the observation hut and shelter up there

 

 

We got to the shrine, had lunch, and all talked about what we would sacrifice for the snow gods (and a cleaner environment), then wrote our prayers and promises to live a little more gently on pieces of paper

 

 

We the presented the shrine with some sake and the papers, and then closed the ceremony.

 

 

afterwards, some people continued on to summit the volcano, while some went down and hit the hot springs.

[skidaisuki 0]

Oyuki, well done for getting together for a nice social. I hope you found a nice mixed onsen afterwards.

 

As we all know, praying for snow is unlikely to make any difference but at least the law of averages suggests you may have more success this year than last - here's hoping so.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

Thanks for the comment, Ski. Luck is not so much what we are trying to get at with this festival.

 

The festival is actually a way to get people to think about their connection to nature, and to make changes in their life to lessen their contributuion to global warming.

 

So in a way, although its miniscule, it is an active change we are trying to promote, not institutionalize an old superstition.

 

And unfortunately, there are not many mixed onsens in Nagano.

[skidaisuki 0]

Good ideas.

 

Funny, Oyuki, I was sitting in an onsen yesterday and wondering just how much impact that the activity had on the environment - it certainly results in some ugly concrete hotels blocking a nice view of the mountains, let alone the power onsens must consume (especially as they aren't all simply about hot water gushing out of the ground...)

 

But I must admit it WAS very relaxing and skiing without the prospect of a nice onsen afterwards wouldn't be quite as much fun.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

Well, i'm not into giving up onsens after skiing either. There are ways to have a clean environment AND a good soak.

 

There are some things that are much more destructive than bathing in a hot spring, that deserve our attention.

[Hokkaidough 4]

I hope the gods respond.