I apologize for my long-term inconvenience.
Now that I finally have some free time, I would like to reopen this column.
Last July 1st, the 34th Shikinen Sengu project was completed, and the reconstruction of the "Reiden" (Prayer Hall), which is believed to have been built in the Nara period, was completed. While preparing to furnish the prayer hall, I was surprised at how much modern people have lost the history and knowledge of the Japanese way of life.
So, I thought I would write about it in this column so that you can remember at least one thing.
The first things you need for your kitchen at home are probably a table and a bench.
So let's take a look at Shimogamo Shrine.
Public ceremonies at the ancient Imperial Court and Shimogamo Shrine were often held within the palace grounds, and sometimes ceremonies were held in the gardens, such as the Kamo Festival, in which case the same furnishings as those used in the palace were used.
First of all, at the Imperial Palace, the Ishi style of the Sobe-ryoshiki is used, which states, "Generally, the seats of the office are Ishi for princes and those of Chunagon or above. For those of fifth rank and above, lacquered Ishi are used. The rest are plain wooden Tokoshi," and are used on occasions such as when the Emperor makes personal visits to the palace or when imperial envoys are present.
There are three types of shoji: ``Woodworking dormitory style'', large shoji, small shoji and cypress shoji.
Gosshi (Gosha Shidai) There are two types, square and round. They are used both on the throne and in the garden. Along with the tokoshi, they are always used in official ceremonies such as the Kamo Festival and in the Okage Festival, a Shinto ritual for the local deity.
Soton (Japanese Classics) A cylindrical seat made of straw wrapped in brocade or other cloth. It is mainly used for the seats of the unloved, the miscellaneous, attendant, and Kagura performers. Many people say that even in the palace, it feels like sitting on grass.
For use in the garden, there is the Agura, a folding seat with crossed legs and leather stretched over it, as described in the Tale of Genji's Butterfly Chapter, "The Agura were summoned." In garden ceremonies for official festivals, it is customary that those of rank four or higher are covered with leopard skin, those of rank five with tiger skin, and so on. Furthermore, to cover the Agura, a woven silk or fine cloth is laid over a mat of straw. This is called a kin (collar). This is the seat for nobles such as the Dainagon and Chunagon when they attend garden ceremonies.
There is also the round cushion (warafuda), which is written as "warafuto" in the Wamyō Ruijūshō. It is a flat mat made by rolling up the leaves of reeds, rushes, and straw mats into a spiral shape and weaving them.
Generally, it is called a "Kyōsoku" (side support), but it is actually called a "shoku." In the "Todaiji Temple Offerings Book," it is described as a "red sandalwood painted shoku." It is a stand placed in front of the knees on which several prayers and other documents are placed. In the "Wakamurasaki" volume of the "Tale of Genji," it is written, "It is used to place sutras." In the early Heian period, there was also a slightly smaller "shoku" support device with lacquer decoration, curved in the middle, and placed at the side of the waist, which was adopted into the lives of citizens.
Furthermore, in the early modern period, they were called "hizatsuki" and used as floor coverings in the palace. However, they were influenced by other cultures, with the floor coverings being made of cloth, the garden floor being made of tatami mats, and the borders being Korean-style borders.
