Ricewine (sake)

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Ricewine, rice wine (酒 sake, saké, saki)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: various
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

Ricewine is one of the best things of life in Japan!


http://darumasan.blogspot.com/2006/12/sake-and-daruma.html

For all you need to know about this drink, check
Sake World Homepage - John Gauntner


WASHOKU : Jizake, local ricewine brands

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- quote
Kanpai! Sake through the ages

“A civilization stands or falls by the degree to which drink has entered the lives of its people, and from that point of view Japan must rank very high among the civilizations of the world,” observed essayist Kenichi Yoshida in “Japan is a Circle” (1975).

The first foreigners ever to record observations of the Japanese — Chinese envoys of the third century A.D. — noted, “They are much given to strong drink.” Traces on prehistoric pottery suggest fruit-brewing as early as the Jomon Period (c. 12,000 B.C. — c. 300 B.C.). The history we’re embarked on is therefore a very long one — with no end of parties to crash!
MORE
- source : Michael Hoffman - Japan Times - October 2013



Parody of Palace Servants
Heating Sake over a Fire of Maple Leaves
Okumura Masanobu (1686–1764)


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quote
Sake and Japanese Culture
Written by Dr. Koizumi Takeo, Professor,
Tokyo University of Agriculture
Since time immemorial, people have brewed alcohol and enjoyed it as part of their culture. In many parts of the world, alcohol has held a place of honor and been romanticized as an ideal. The Japanese are certainly no exception. Many centuries ago, they began blending their staple food, rice, with pure water and koji micro-organisms to make Nihon-shu (Japanese sake), skillfully taking advantage of nature and local environmental conditions to create a distinctive brew.
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From beverage of the gods to a drink for the common man
The most potent alcohol in the world
Microorganisms: The secret behind that intriguing fragrance and taste
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Sake as part of culture
Sake was created by the ancestors of today’s Japanese. For centuries it has been part of the life of almost every person on the archipelago, because of its importance in rites commemorating everything from birth to death. Sake is more than a drink taken to enjoy a tipsy time—it also serves a vital social purpose at the defining moments in life.
and much much more :
source : web-japan.org/nipponia, 2008

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The religious use of sake (o-miki お神酒)
In the word o-miki, the reading "ki" is assigned to the character for sake. As such, the final meaning would again be akin to "the sake that helps one prosper," but perhaps this time there is a bit more of a religious association. Linguistically, sakae-no-ki changed to sakae-no-ke, sakae-ke and sake-ke before arriving at the vernacular manifestation we use today.
source : JOHN GAUNTNER

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. Matsunoo Taisha 松尾大社 Matsunoo Grand Shrine
Matsuno'o Taisha - Matsu-no-o .
a Shrine to honor sake brewing, selling and drinking


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Sake is a beverage fermented from rice, which is a grain. This would make it more of a beer than a wine. Yet, sake is not carbonated, and flavor-wise is closer to wine than beer, although it is indeed uniquely different from wine. Sake is not a distilled beverage, and is not even remotely related to gin, vodka or other spirits.
http://www.sake-world.com/html/sake-faqs.html

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Here is one story of John's Sake World about Haiku:

Kotsuzumi, "Koden"Junmaishu, Hyogo Prefecture

The name Kotsuzumi refers to a small drum used in a form of traditional Japanese dancing. The grandfather of the current president was a haiku poetry student of a famous haiku poet, and the name Kotsuzumi was given by that famous poet. He was so into his haiku writing that the sake brewery almost went under, I was told, and in fact the current owner and his father are also poets.

http://www.sake-world.com/html/sw-2004_8.html

A little detour:
More about the Japanese Drums
Japanese Drums by Gabi Greve



kasuyuzake かすゆざけ【糟湯酒】 water with sake lees
This is an old type of drink of the poor people since the Heian period.


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Now let us go back to the kigo with SAKE!

Spring

Ricewine whilst viewing the Cherry Blossoms
hanamizake 花見酒
Cherry Blossoms - Kigo in the Database

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Summer

sweet ricewine, amazake 甘酒、醴
Other kigo versions are:
one-night ricewine, hitoyozake 一夜酒
seller of sweet ricewine, amazake-uri 甘酒売り
shop for sweet ricewine, amazakeya 甘酒屋

Rice for cakes (mochi) is cooked until very soft (kayu) and then special mold (kooji, koji) is added and let ferment for seven, eight hours or over night, hence the naming.
It is drunk hot on warm summer evenings and during the Edo period, sellers would walk around to sell this beverage.
Nowadays it is more consumed on winter evenings.
We can now even buy prepared bags with freeze-dried contents, to be diluted with hot water for fast consumption.
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Quote from the Muso Company:

Amazake is popular as a winter drink that warms our bodies. The history of Amazake goes back to the 4th century according to the Chronicles of Japan. Although it is often associated with winter, its season word in Haiku is summer. Years ago when diet was simpler, many people died from the heat of summer. During this period, people started to drink Amazake as a sweet nutritious drink to survive rigorous summers.

Because Amazake is made from brown rice Koji, it includes a rich amount of vitamins, essential amino acids, and glucose created by the Koji. Live enzymes in Amazake are also effective in strengthening the digestive system by accelerating appetite and regular elimination. Nutritionally rich Amazake is popular in and out of Japan for young and old alike since it contains no alcohol.
http://www.muso-intl.co.jp/ENGLISH/Beverages/Amazake.html

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Cold Rice Wine, hiyazake 冷酒
..... reishu　冷酒
..... hiyashizake 冷やし酒

Japanese wine (nihonshu 日本酒), another word for rice wine, is a favorite in summer too.
In summer it is consumed with the normal temperature of the day or nowadays, on the rocks with ice cubes.

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Autumn

nihonshu no hi 日本酒の日 Sake Day
October 1
October is the 10th month.
The Chinese character for the cock 酉, which is the 10th animal in the Asian cycle of 12 animals, is also a part of the kanji for ricewine 酒.
This day has been established in 1965 as 酒造元旦, later re-named in 1978.


Chrysanthemum Ricewine, kiku no sake, kikuzake 菊の酒
(Mid-Autumn)
To prepare Chrysanthemum Wine, you have to float some Chrysanthemum petals in ricewine, appreciate their beauty first and then drink.
(See hokku by Basho below.)


. gumi no sake 茱萸の酒（ぐみのさけ）
sake with silverberries 　
gumi, a plant of the Elaeagnus family

Chrysanthemum Festival
rituals on the ninth day of the ninth month


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New Ricewine, shinshu 新酒
This ricewine is brewed with the first rice crop of a year.

first run of a new sake, abarashiri 新走
ricewine of this year, kotoshizake 今年酒
early rice sake, wasezake 早稲酒

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Ricewine while viewing the Full Moon of Autumn
tsukimizake 月見酒

WKD: MOON and his LINKS

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Winter

Warm sake - toast of the town for winter
atsukan　熱燗　(kigo for all winter)

Hot sake is known as o-kan, or kan-zake in general. Nurukan refers to sake heated to about 40-45 C, whereas atsukan is piping hot sake. Atsukan has its appeal as a curiosity, but you really can't taste much.

Read more By JOHN GAUNTNER
http://www.sake-world.com/html/jt-1999_0.html

The pot to heat the sake can be made from copper or clay. You use a container (chooshi　銚子) and put it into the pot with hot water for indirect heating. A tokkuri (sake container　徳利) is also put into hot water to heat up and when the top feels right, it is taken out of the hot bath and ready for consumption.

Read Gabi Greve about

Tokkuri - Drinking Hot Sake with Daruma 徳利とだるま—焼物散歩

I remember a story about the "invention" of hot rice wine in Ancient China.
The troops would drink cold rice wine every night and have a hangover next day, not able to fight the enemy porperly. So a clever general would serve them heated sake, which made them drunk easily without drinking toooo much. Next morning they would have no hangover and fight the enemy to the end.
Thus the custom of drinking it HOT was born.

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Drinking ricewine before going to bed, nezake 寝酒
Many people drink before going to bed, but on a cold winter night with no central heating in the home, it was essential to have a hot sip before getting to sleep. Therefore it is a kigo for all winter.

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Blowfish fins in Ricewine, hirezake 鰭酒
(all winter)


http://kitchen-h.fem.jp/cgi-bin/column/column/basic/009.html

The dried fins are either left as they are or chopped finely and are then immersed in ricewine. This brew has a special taste and is well loved by connoisseuers. The reaction of the alcohol in the body shows fast, therefore it is usually used as a last farwell drink.

Sometimes a piece of raw blowfish (sashimi) is immersed inthe ricewine, this is also a kigo called "Fish Meat Ricewine" mizake (身酒).

Read more about the Blowfish here
WKD : Blowfish (fugu)

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Brewing ricewine in the cold, kanzukuri　寒造, 寒作り
Ricewine that is brewed with especially cold water in the middle of winter.

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Ricewine whilst viewing the snow falling
yukimizake 雪見酒

WKD Snow (yuki)

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Ricewine with an egg, tamagozake 玉子酒, 卵酒
Since the Edo period this was used as a medicine against cold, because of the nutrition of the egg.
Nowadays sugar is also added to the mixture. Sometimes the pot is set on fire with a match to get rid of the alcohol to give the drink to children.

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Ricewine with ginger, shoogazake 生姜酒
Finely grated or ground ginger is put in a cup and hot sake added to it. This is also a traditional medicine against cold. The flavor of ricewine and ginger go well together and you could sip this brew for hours ...

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Liquor made from pine needles, matsubazake, matsuba sake
松葉酒 まつばざけ, まつはさけ
Tonic liquor flavored with pine needle extracts



Made in May from fresh pine needles, choped finely, with sugar and water added. When left in the sunshine, it starts to ferment. Recently it is also prepared with rice schnaps, shoochuu 焼酎. After half a year the mixture is ready to drink. It is known as a medicine for various ailments in China, Korea and Japan.

Some Korean Recipies 　


There is also a schnaps made with Matsutake Mushrooms.
松茸酒
Fresh mushrooms are cut and immersed in shoochu for about 6 months before consumption.
http://www2.tokai.or.jp/fuji-ys/ninjinmatutake.htm

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"Hail Wine", ararezake 霰酒　あられざけ
Also called "Snow Pellet Wine" mizorezake 霙酒　みぞれざけ
This brew has its origin in the year of Keichoo (from 1596) and the hint was taken from the famous pond Sarusawa 猿沢　in Nara.
Rice cakes (mochi) are cut and diluted with rice shnaps (shoochuu) many times until they finally resemble hail stones when chopped. They are put in sweet rice wine (mirin　味醂 ) to mature for a while.
Another way of preparation is using the molded sake (kooji, koji 糀) to imitate the snow pellets.
This sake is a speciality of Nara.


http://www.kitora.com/harusika-araresake.htm


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observance kigo for early winter

tooji kitaru 杜氏来る (とうじきたる)
the sake brewers are coming
..... kura iri 倉入り（くらいり）"entering the storehouse"

In the Edo period, it was customary for farmers to leave home in winter and work in the big sake breweries to make some extra money. Most of them were specialists in their trade. They worked from December for about 100 days, and were thus also called the "workers for 100 days" 百日男.
The most famous regions for these seasonal brewmasters were
Tanba　（Tamba Toji) (丹波杜氏), Tajima (但馬杜氏), Noto (能登杜氏) and Nanbu (南部杜氏).
There is even a museum about the Tamba Toji 丹波杜氏酒造記念館.


Tamba Toji


雪消をせむと杜氏の帰りたり
yuki-gie o semu to tooji no kaeritari

when the snow melts
the brewemasters
head home

Sonehara Ikuko 曽根原幾子


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New Year

New Year's Ricewine
... nenshu 年酒
... toshizake としざけ
mulled with spices, toso, o-toso 屠蘇

WKD : Mulled wine (gloegg)


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Kenpaishiki 献盃式 in memory of Saint Shinran
Drinking sake in a memorial service, at temple Honganji and others
January 1.

. Shinran Shonin 親鸞聖人 and Kigo

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A sake barrel,
Born without hands, makes merry —
Cherry blossom time

Ihara Saikaku (1642-1693)


Sake Barrels exhibited at Shinto Shrines



Sake Barrels, Decoration Barrels
Explanations are here !

sakagomo 酒薦（さかごも）straw mat to cover a barrel
waramushiro 藁蓆（わらむしろ）straw mat / komo 薦


source : library.metro.tokyo.jp/portals
sugoroku game with famous sake barrels
新撰銘酒寿語禄（しんせんめいしゅすごろく）
by 梅素亭玄魚（1817-1880）


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The deity of the shrine in Kyoto is known as a
God of Japanese sake.
. Shrine Matsuo Taisha 松尾大社


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Worldwide use

Germany

Reiswein

Aus grünem Bambus
Reiswein genießen. Abschied
für die Studenten.

(Saskia Ishikawa Franke)
Ein elegisches Epigramm.
http://kulturserver-nds.de/home/haiku-dhg/Archiv/Fitterer_Epigramm.htm

..... ..... .....

Ein Greis sitzt am Fluss,
Schenkt sich `ne Schale Reiswein
Ein Volkslied summend.

Hungki Park
http://www.e-stories.de/gedichte-lesen.phtml?10965

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Things found on the way

Battledore Game

This game reached Japan from Japan during the Muromachi period, where it became a pastime for the court nobles and their children. When grown ups played it in teams, the loosing part had to drink a coup of rice wine.

Battledore game - Kigo in our Database


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Read Gabi Greve about

Sake and Shochu - Ricewine, Schnaps and Daruma
酒、焼酎と達磨 — 晩酌散歩


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A Japanese link with haiku about rice shnaps, shoochuu
焼酎の俳句
http://plaza.rakuten.co.jp/hiromuworld/5000

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HAIKU

. Sake - Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


草の戸や日暮てくれし菊の酒
kusa no to ya higurete kureshi kiku no sake

this grass door -
dusk arrives with a present
of chrysanthemum ricewine
Tr. Gabi Greve


Written in 1691, on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month
元禄4年9月9日

His disciple Kawai Otokuni 河合乙州 brought a barrel of rice wine.
Basho stayed at temple Gichu-Ji at Mumyooan 義仲寺無名庵 Mumyo-An.

. Kawai Otokuni 川井乙州/ 河井乙州 / 河合乙州.
(1675 - 1720)

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花にうき世我が酒白く飯黒し
hana ni ukiyo waga sake shiroku meshi kuroshi

cherry blossoms
in this fleeting world - my rice wine is white
my rice is black

MORE - Discussion and ukiyo hokku by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .



Nigori or nigorizake (濁り酒) is a variety of sake, an alcoholic beverage produced from rice. Its name translates roughly to cloudy because of its appearance. It is about 14–17% alcohol by volume.

Normal sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process, however nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a far cloudier drink.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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蒼海の浪酒臭し今日の月
sookai no nami sake kusashi kyoo no tsuki

blue seas
breaking waves smell of rice wine
tonight's moon
Tr. Jane Reichhold


MORE translations and discussion :
. WKD : Moon Haiku .


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柴付けし馬のもどりや田植樽　
shiba tsukeshi / uma no modori ya / taue daru (tauedaru, taue-daru)

A barrel of rice wine offered at the end of the rice planting season.



MORE - Ricewine sake haiku by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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親鳥のぬくめ心地や玉子酒
shinchoo no nukume kokochi ya tamagozake

正岡子規 Masaoka Shiki
http://www.suien.net/shiki/kansyo.htm

... ...

their stems dipped
in refined sake,
these drooping wisteria flowers
have recovered,
have revived!
(tr S. Goldstein)

Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)


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鰭酒に酔ひける夜の星の下
hirezake ni yoikeru yo no hoshi no shita

getting drunk on
blowfish fin sake this night
unter the stars

遠藤和良 Endo Kazuyoshi
http://www.endo-kazuyoshi.com/haiku/04.htm


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爐びらきや　雪中庵のあられ酒 　
robiraki ya sekichuuan no ararezake

opening the hearth -
in my hut surrounded by snow
a sip of snow pellet wine
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

. Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村 in Edo .

robiraki is itself a kigo for early winter.

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旬のゑらぶみぞれふる夜のあられ酒
ku no erabu mizore furu yo no ararezake

selecting haiku
on an evening with pellet snow -
a sip of hail wine
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

Kikaku

http://www.kitora.com/harusika-araresake.htm

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花びらを吹いて楽しむ花見酒
hanabira o fuite tanoshimu hanamizake

blowing flower petals
and enjoying
rice wine under cherry blossoms

Hajko
http://www2.saganet.ne.jp/vastalto/hajko/hajk2000.html

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amazake 甘酒

amazake no nukumori daite haru o matsu

holding on to a cup
of sweet rice wine -
waiting for spring
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

Mayuzumi Madoka 黛まどか

This is a haiku on a bag of sweet sake preparation, winner of a haiku contest about sweet sake from Morinaga Company.
http://morinaga.co.jp/amazake/haiku/index.html


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方言に耳慣れて来しぬくめ酒
hoogen ni mimi narete kishi nukumezake

finally I get used
to the local dialect -
warm sake

Inoue Fumiko 井上芙美子


nukui is an expression used in Western Japan for warm or hot.


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Matsuo Basho in the year Genroku 6


寒菊や醴造る窓の前
kangiku ya amazake tsukuru mado no saki

winter chrysanthemums
it makes a sweet drink
in front of the window
Tr. Reichhold


winter chrysanthemum--
heating sweet wine
in front of the window
Tr. Barnhill

Reichhold says that the drink is a milky liquid, and she thinks Basho is comparing its color to white winter chrysanthemums, "which were probably covered with oiled white paper."


MORE food and drink hokku by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 .



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!!! Special Feature of the World Kigo Database :
Santoka and Sake 。。山頭火と酒の俳句　　Santooka


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寒造透かせグラスの江戸切子
kanzukuri sukase-gurasu no Edo kiriko

rice wine brewed in the cold -
a transparent glass of
old Edo cut glass

吉岡ゆたか Yoshioka Yutaka
www5.ocn.ne.jp/~turu/kukai/g_200503.html


. Edo kiriko 江戸切子 and KIGO 　


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kanzukuri　寒造, 寒作り brewing rice wine in the cold

柿渋を塗りし手桶や寒造
Abe Gassanko 阿部月山子

並蔵はひびきの灘や寒作り
Kikaku 其角

佇めばつぶやく醪寒造
Kishi Fuusanro 岸風三楼 Fusanro

白水の川の出来たと寒造り
Kobayashi Issa 一茶

蔵梯子たわむをのぼり寒造
Miyashita Suishuu 宮下翠舟 Suishu

門前に竜の玉あり寒造り
Mori Sumio 森澄雄）

蔵入りの杜氏は初心を失はず
Nakai Yokaroo 中井余花朗

その情けこそ　寒づくり
Nishiyama Sooin 奥深き　西山宗因 Soin

二階より桶つりおろす寒造
Nishiyama Shookoshi 西山小鼓子

寒造り渚の如く米沈む
. Yamaguchi Seishi 山口誓子.


MORE from Issa about Sake :
一茶ほろにが酒
- source : www.h6.dion.ne.jp/~jofuan

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Related words

. WASHOKU
futsukayoi, futsuka-yoi 【二日酔い 】hangover, Kater 　
and some natural remedies for it !

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sakaya 酒屋 sake shop, liquor shop

梅咲くや酒屋へ一里黄泉へ二里
ume saku ya sakaya e ichiri yomi e niri

plums are blossoming -
one ri distance to the liquor shop
two ri distance to the Yellow Springs

Anai Futoshi 穴井太 (1926 - 1997)

. yomi 黄泉 "the yellow springs" netherworld .

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とうふ屋と酒屋の間を冬篭
tôfu ya to sakaya no ai wo fuyugomori

between tofu shop
and the tavern...
my winter seclusion
Tr. Lanoue

. 小林一茶　Kobayashi Issa and Tofu .


- - - - - Senryu

Some coin-string vendors were quite vicious and hang around shops and stores to "force" their owners to buy the string. A lot of senryu have been written about them.

いらぬさし買って酒屋はしずかなり
iranu sashi katte sakaya wa shizuka nari

he bought money strings
that were not needed, now the sake shop
is all quiet

He had to keep them in the second floor of his shop and could not accomodate any customers there for a while.


. Doing Business in Edo　- 江戸の商売 .



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***** Deafness-curing sake (jirooshu)

***** Mirin (sweet sake for cooking) Japan

***** SUMMER Drinks Japan
Including sweet rice wine (amazake), beer, ice shavings with flavor (kakigoori), barley tea (mugicha), strong liquor (shochu) and many more

***** World Kigo Database: Hot Drinks List

***** Egg Nog

***** Hot Whiskey (Toddy, Irish Coffee)

***** Mulled wine (gloegg, Gluehwein)


***** Iced Coffee, aisu-koohii (Japan) Hot Coffee

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WASHOKU : Jizake, local rice wine brands

WASHOKU ... Japanese Food SAIJIKI


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- #sake #ricewine #barrel #sakagomo #komo -
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Rainy Season (tsuyu)

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO　　TOP . ]
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Rainy Season (tsuyu 梅雨)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Mid-Summer
***** Category: various

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Explanation

The rainy season is part and parcel of a farmer's life in Japan, some haiku masters even consider it a season in itself. There are many kigo related to this time, we will explore some of them here.

In 2005, we have parts of Northern Japan almost flooded with seasonal rain, whereas in Western Japan, where I live, there has not been a decent drop of rain for weeks on end, the terraced rice fields are dry and the rice could not be planted.

I have written about the Gods of the Elements,which make our life so unpredictable.

Also refer to this entry for more about the rains:
WHC World Kigo Database: Rain in various kigo





leaves dancing
in the forest mist -
may rain

The rainy season lasts usually from early June till the middle of July. Most days are cloudy and we have strong showers, sometimes on a daily bases. TSUYU, bai-u 梅雨, literally means "Rain on the Plums", because these fruit are ripe now and farmers prepare dried plums (umeboshi) as a staple for the summer.

Now let us look at the kigo.

Gabi Greve

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Kigo for the Season

beginning of the rainy season, nyuubai 入梅, tsuyuiri 梅雨入, tsuyu hajimaru　梅雨はじまる
entering into the rainy season, tsuyu ni iru 梅雨にいる
feeling like the rainy season is coming, tsuyu no kehai 梅雨の気配
feeling cold during the rainy season, tsuyu samu　梅雨寒, tsuyu samushi, tsuyubie　梅雨冷, samuki tsuyu寒き梅雨

This used to be the14th day of the 5th lunar month as a haiku season, but now it would be
6th of June.
The actual date varies from year to year.


humid heat, sultry, mushiatsushi (mushiatsui) 蒸し暑し/ 蒸暑
..... shissho　湿暑 ... jokusho　じょくしょ　溽暑
humidity, shikke　湿気
... toward the end of the rainy season (late summer)

end of the rainy season, tsuyu-ake　梅雨明け, tsuyu agaru　梅雨あがる
after the rainy season, tsuyu no ato　梅雨のあと

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Kigo for the Heavens

sky of the rainy season, tsuyuzora　梅雨空,
................................tsuyu no sora　梅雨の空,
"plum sky", baiten　梅天

sky of the fifth month, satsukizora　皐月空 (old lunar calendar)
stars of the rainy season, tsuyu no hoshi　梅雨の星
moon of the rainy season,tsuyu no tsuki 梅雨の月
clouds of the rainy season, tsuyugumo　梅雨雲, tsuyugumori 梅雨雲り: kigo for mid-summer
.............................................satsukigumo　皐月雲

rain in May before the rainy season, "running rainy season"
......hashirizuyu　走り梅雨, tsuyu no hashiri　梅雨の走り
before the rainy season, maezuyu 前梅雨
welcoming the rainy season, mukaezuru　迎え梅雨

rainy season, tsuyu　梅雨、bai-u　
rainfront of the season bai-u zensen　梅雨前線
............ ( a word used in the weather forecast)
time of the rainy season, tsuyudoki　梅雨時

humid southern wind, shippuu　湿風
..... onpuu 温風
In late summer, toward the end of the rainy season, bringing wet air from the ocean.

green rainy season, aotsuyu　青梅雨
..... (rain on the green leaves of the forest)

wild rainy season, arazuyu　荒梅雨
thunder during rainy season, tsuyu kaminari 梅雨雷, tsuyu no rai梅雨の雷 (kigo for mid-summer)

no rain in the season, empty rainy season、karatsuyu　空梅雨
..... drought in the rainy season, hideritsuyu　旱梅雨
..... karetsuyu　涸梅雨


bacteria rain, bai-u　黴梅雨
..... (we have a lot of mold during the season)


spell of fine weather during the rainy season, tsuyu harema　梅雨晴れ間
..... tsuyubare　梅雨晴、tsuyu no hare 梅雨の晴, tsuyu haru　梅雨晴る

satsukibare 五月晴 さつきばれ fine weather in the fifth lunar month
(the period of the rainy season)



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Worldwide use


Germany

Regenzeit
Schwüle


Nun dringt die Schwüle
selbst in grünenden Schatten
ermattender Schlaf

Beate Conrad, Germany, 2009


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India

Monsoon ..(India, South Asia) a season in itself in India.
Rains – called Varsha - in the months of Shravan and Bhadrapad, approximately July and August .
The INDIA SAIJIKI


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

入梅や蟹かけ歩大座敷
nyûbai ya kani kake-aruku ôzashiki

rainy season--
a crab strolls into
the sitting room

Issa

Tr. by David Lanoue. There are more haiku by Issa:
http://cat.xula.edu/issa/searchissa.php?sorter=date&s_string=rainy+season&season=&s_date=

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梅雨明けに心晴れ晴れ青い空
tsuyu-ake ni kokoro harebare aoi sora

rainy season is over -
my heart is all shining
the sky so blue

.. .. ..

会いたくて会えないままに梅雨明け
aitakute aenai mama ni tsuyu ake

wanting to meet you
but it was not ment to be -
rainy season is over

Akiko
(Tr. Gabi Greve)
http://www.geocities.co.jp/Bookend-Akiko/3296/haiku022.htm

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鰐口のにぶき響や走り梅雨
waniguchi no nibuki hibiki ya hashirizuyu

the sound of the temple gong
so different -
rainy season is coming

内山照久 Uchiyama Teruhisa
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

On this link there are many more haiku about the coming rainy season.
http://www.haisi.com/saijiki/hasirituyu2.htm

waniguchi , crocodile mouht, is a flat temple gong, which looks like the open mouth of a crocodile. Some musicians say instruments sound more flat during the rains.

See my story about Jindai-Ji Temple and Daruma

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小太鼓の少女の微笑梅雨晴間
kodaiko no shoojo no bishoo tsuyu harema

the little girl's smile
when banging the drum -
fine weather during the rainy season

朝吹英和 Asabuki Hidekazu

.. .. ..

青梅雨の素焼きの鉢の重たかり
aotsuyu no suyaki no hachi no omotakeri

rain on green leaves -
the pot without a glaze
feels so heavy

小林 檀 Kobayashi Dan

(Tr. Gabi Greve)

Many more haiku abou the rainy season:
http://www.geocities.jp/haiku_square/sq.04.07.html

See my explanation about Drums of Japan

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may rain -
the temple garden
shrouded in red

At Mt. Koya, Koya-san

© Photo and Haiku by Gabi Greve


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rainy season -
all the different shades of
green

long summer rain . . .
the weeds grow wild
with every drop

Gabi Greve, June 2010


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Related words



***** World Kigo Database: Monsoon

***** Drought (hideri, Japan)

..... Mildew, mold (kabi) 　Japan
Schimmelpilz　


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Rain Rituals (amagoi)

[ . BACK to Worldkigo TOP . ]
. Legends about Amagoi .
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Rain Rituals, Dances and Prayers (amagoi)

***** Location: Japan and other areas
***** Season: Late Summer
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation
For a riceplanting culutre like Japan, the seasonal rain is very important, it is a question of life and death! If the rain does not fall enough during the rainy season we have a "Dry Rainy Season" (kara tsuyu　空梅雨), like now in 2005 in Western Japan, where the terraced rice fields in my area did not get enough rain even to prepare the mud fields for planting. Many are not planted at all and the ones who were planted do not have enough to keep them watered. Water reservoirs are dried out...
Whereas in the northern districts of Japan, endless rain has caused the rivers and fields to overflow with water...

the gods of rain
swaying here and there -
floods versus droughts

This is the time when farmers turn to the Gods and Buddhas (kami hotoke) for prayer. There are some kigo related to this.

rain rituals, amagoi　雨乞い
prayer for rain, ame no inori　雨の祈り,
ame inoru 雨祈る
prayer and wish for rain, ki-u (kiu）　祈雨
amulet for rain, ki-u fuda　祈雨札
Sutra when praying for rain, ki-u kyoo　
祈雨経, amagoi kyoo　雨乞経

dance when praying for rain, rain dance,　
ki-u odori 祈雨踊り

The prayers and rituals for rain take many forms in Japan. Some are accompanied by special dances, some by a lion dance
(shishimai 獅子舞), fires are lit on the tops of mountains and sutras are chanted.

Some Rain Dances and Lion Dances are part of regional festivals held every year in spring or early summer and are quite pleasant events for the population. See the haiku of Shiki below.
But the real Rain Rituals take place during the end of summer, when the weather situation calls for it and the farmers are desperate. They have a quite different severe atmosphere.

In the following, I will try and introduce some of these rituals. Rain Riutals have already been performed during the Nara period and are mentioned in old records like the Nihon Shoki.

In some areas, large boulders are inscribed with the characters for "Jizo", but people came to call them "Jizo who loved Rain" ama koi Jizo 雨恋地蔵 and used them for rain rituals.

Gabi Greve
Reference: Saijiki for Rituals and Ceremonies


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quote
Kiu, shiu
Kiu 祈雨　refers to praying to kami for rainfall and
shiu 止雨　refers to praying to them for the cessation of rain.

Since both are rain-related prayers or rituals,
"rainmaking" (kiu) and "rain-halting" (shiu) are often grouped together.

In the earliest record of court-sponsored rainmaking, Nihon shoki includes an entry on praying to the "all kami " and "all shrines" as well as to "famous mountains and large rivers," mentioning in particular that Empress Kōgyoku personally prayed for rain. In Shoku Nihongi, Emperor Monmu (683-707) offered a horse to the Mikumari kami and prayed for rain in the 4th month of the 2nd year of his reign (699), indicating that rainmaking festivals gradually became performed to worship specific deities.

The practice of attaching the rainmaking function to a specific kami became conspicuous from the reigns of Emperor Shōtoku to Emperor Kōnin (the second half of the eighth century), and Niukawakamisha shrine (now, Niukawakami jinja nakasha) was perceived as the rainmaking deity and named Amashigami.

In the Heian period, Niukawakami Shrine remained the center of rainmaking festivals until the reigns of Emperors Kanmu and Heizei (781-809). In the subsequent reign of Emperor Saga (809-23), Kifunesha shrine (now Kibune jinja) located close to the Heian capital (present-day Kyoto), however, also became a rainmaking deity alongside Niukawakami Shrine.

From around the time of Emperor Saga, rain-halting festivals to pray for the cessation of rain and the control of wind and rain became popular. In rainmaking and rain-halting festivals from the mid-Heian period onward, offerings were being made to eighty-five rainmaking kami, centering around Niukawakami and Kifune Shrines; to these two shrines, black horses were offered at rainmaking festivals and white horses were offered at rain-halting festivals. Thereafter, both types of festivals came to be widely held at non-imperial shrines.

On the other hand, there are numerous examples of rainmaking rituals among the populace, including temporary seclusion in a shrine, rainmaking dances, angering the "Water kami " (suijin) to induce rain, invoking rain by sprinkling around holy water, and summoning rain clouds by sending up smoke from a mountaintop.
source : Shimazu Norifumi, Kokugakuin


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Here is a story about Saint Nichiren and a rain ritual I remember from living close to Gokuraku-Ji in Kamakura. Nichiren is the founder of the Nichiren sect of Buddhism and the welfare of the country was one of his concerns.

In 1271, the country was troubled by persistent drought. The government, fearful of famine, ordered Ryokan, the well-known and respected chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple, to pray for rain.

When Nichiren Daishonin learned of this, he sent a written challenge to Ryokan offering to become his disciple if the latter succeeded in bringing on rain. If he failed, however, Ryokan was to become the Daishonin’s follower.

Ryokan accepted the challenge, but in spite of his prayers and those of hundreds of assistant priests, no rain fell. Instead, Kamakura was struck by fierce gales. Ryokan not only did not become a disciple of the Daishonin, but actually began to plot against him in collusion with Hei no Saemon.

Read more of the intriques following this unsucessful rain ritual:
http://www.nbaa.tv/Nichiren/lifeofnich.html

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Amagoi Matsuri, Kifune Jinja, March 9
The Great Rain Ritual at this shrine (Kibune Jinja, Kifune Jinja 貴船神社) , which is dedicated to SUIJIN God of Water . This shrine is located at the entrance of the waterways of Kyoto, a most important location in olden times.

Horses offered to the gods in rain rituals
Black and white horse offerings Kibune Shrine 貴船神社の馬

. Kifune Shrine Festivals and Haiku .





The Waterfall for Rain Rituals, 雨乞の滝
It is not very big and does not carry much water. It falls in three steps.

The Rain Ritual 雨乞祭


Priests spraying water during the festival.


Suzuka Valley and Waterfall, 鈴鹿谷
The Main Shrine, 貴船神社本宮
The Rock Garden, 石庭

Page with many thumbnails of the places within the precincts.
http://www.kibune.or.jp/meisho/

The Dragon Character of the Deity


高おかみの神の「おかみ」という漢字は　（雨かんむりに口を三つ、その下に龍）

Copyright (C) 1997-2000 All Rights Reserved by Kibune Internet Project
http://www.kibune.or.jp/


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. Tamukeyama Hachimangu and Rain Rituals
Tamukeyama Hachiman no tachi ema 手向山八幡の立絵馬
standing votive tablet from Tamukeyama Hachiman shrine


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. Shrine Mimeguri Jinja 三囲神社　/ 三囲稲荷社 .
2 Chome-5-17 Mukojima, Sumida, Tokyo

A student of Matsuo Basho named 晋子 Shinshi wrote a poem and after that, it rained.

雨乞や田を見めぐりの神ならば
amagoi ya ta o mimeguri no kami naraba

rain rituals -
if the gods are here now
to see the paddies

. Takarai Kikaku 宝井其角 .
- Enomoto Kikaku (1661-1707)
- Shinshi Ki 晋子忌 Shinshi Memorial Day

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Mount Rain Ritual, Amagoi-dake 雨乞岳


http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamaken2/yama/amagoidake.htm

In Shiga prefecture.
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The Suzuka Mountain Range
Here the Dragon God resided and people prayed to him for rain. The famous giant "Dadaboshi" who lived there too, heared the people pray and decided to make a water resesrvoir for the people. He started digging and dumped the earth in a place in Suruga province. His pond got bigger and bigger and started fillilng up with water. Now we call this "Lake Biwa" and the place where he dumped the earth is called "Mt. Fuji".

鈴鹿山脈は雨乞い信仰の対象となっていて、山脈の最高峰、御池岳（一二四二メートル）の山頂はカルスト地形の湿地帯、二番目に高い山は雨乞岳（一二三八メートル）で、山頂には小さい池があって、モリアオガエルが棲息する。　山脈の北部には、龍ヶ岳（一一〇〇メートル）があり、御在所山の西には龍王山（八二六メートル）がある。龍王とは、雨乞の水神のことをいう。

昔むかし、鈴鹿の山に「だだぼし」という名の大男がいた。山のように大きかったが、とてもやさしかった。だだぼしは一人で山に住むのがさびしく、里の人たちと遊びたいと思って、「おーい」と呼んだが、里の人にはただの雷に聞こえた。里の人たちが「雷ばっかりで雨が降らない」と雨乞いをするのを見て、だだぼしは溜め池を作ろうと思い立った。夜しか力のでないだだぼしは、夜になると山を下りて穴を掘り、もっこで土を駿河の国へ運んだ。このとき、だだぼしの掘った池は琵琶湖になり、駿河の土の山は富士山になったという。

栗咲いて空の低さよ鈴鹿越え　　　　　　　　
kuri saite sora no hikusa yo suzuka koe

chestnut blooms
the sky so lowly
Suzuka pass

Kanehisa Michiko 金久美智子
(Tr. Nakamura Sakuo)

http://homepage2.nifty.com/cat-fish/200012hm.html


Detailed Japanese Information about the RainRituals at Suzuka Mountain Range.
From a b ook
鈴鹿山地の雨乞（西尾寿一）
http://blog.livedoor.jp/worldkigo/archives/26597355.html


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Worldwide use

Kenya

Drought in Kenya is probably not a kigo -- if it were, it would be a rainy season kigo.
During the dry season, dry weather is normal, even desirable, as crops need sunshine to ripen. But during rainy seasons, rain is needed, and if it does not come, we have drought, and we
potentially have famine.

There is a wonderful prayer for rain in the modern Kenyan prayer book, a powerful prayer too. Having once used it during an Evening Service in All Saints' Cathedral Nairobi, several people commented to me afterwards about the beauty of the words and the wonderful way they channelled their prayers.

Prayer for Rain
----------------
Almighty God, Giver of life and strength,
creator of rain and sky, dust and earth,
preserver of people and plants and animals :
as our cattle leave their enclosures,
as we work on a dry and weary land
we look to you, our heavenly showers,
quench our thirst, strengthen our herds,
raise our crops and refresh our land;
Through Jesus Christ, the water of life.
Amen.

(c) Our Modern Services, Anglican Church of Kenya, 2002.

Isabelle Prondzynski

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North America, Indian Rain Dances

Some Links to explore:

Rain Dance of Zuni
This dance is always performed at the Pueblo of Zuni on August 19th. Both men and women participate, and all are masked. ... Zuni Nick says the song varies from year to year, and it is the privilege of all to improvise the new song for each RAIN DANCE.

Learn how to do a real Zuni Indian rain dance.
This site has a lot of other symbolic dances as well.

http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/native/dance/rain_zuni.htm





turquoise dots
on a black stone frog -
Zuni rain prayer

parched desert -
a small spotted frog
invokes rain

- Shared by Elaine Andre -
Haiku Culture Magazine, 2013



.. .. ..

Island Powwow's Rain Dance Held as Drought Finally Ends


Story of a rain dance held at the opening of a pow wow.

http://www.turtletrack.org/Issues01/Co08252001/CO_08252001_Rain_Dance.htm

.. .. ..

LOWOCC POWWOW PAGE

Pow-wows are the very heart and soul of life for the Native People. Dancing draws man closer to all living things and through them to unseen forces of the Universe itself. Dancing is a way of expressing feeling, whether there is sadness or happiness or a felling of friendliness. It is a way of asking for rain, for good hunting, for good fishing, for success in war.

It is also a way of thanking the Great Spirit for what he has given to his children-food for the hungry, fur to keep warm, rain for the thirst, sun for the crops, and wisdom for the foolish.

An excellent site on Indian dancing that includes details as to how and why they dance, in particular at their pow wows. The asking for rain is just one of many dances performed.
http://www.lowocc.ca/powwowmain.htm

.. .. ..

The Rain that Follows the Sacrifice
By Ida Postma
http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/world/general/ge-ida.htm

.. .. ..

NATIVE SPIRITUALITY GUIDE
Sponsored byt the RCMP, Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

A very comprehensive site on Indian culture and ceremony.
http://www.rcmp.ca/ccaps/spirit_e.htm

.. .. ..

APACHE NATION

The ceremonies are invariably called "dances. Among these are the rain dance, a puberty right, a harvest and good crop dance, and a spirit dance.

Very extensive esplanations.
http://www.crystalinks.com/apache.html

.. .. ..

First Nations in Canada
An excellent site on the Canadian Pacific Coast Tribes.
http://www.rlc.dcccd.edu/MATHSCI/anth/104/pacific.htm

.. .. ..

Sing Down the Rain
written by Judi Moreillon and illustrated by Michael Chiago

http://storytrail.com/pages/SDRK.html

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Tibet

The Tibetan approach to ecology
by Tenzin P. Atisha

WATER AND RAIN RITUAL
In the third and fourth months in every year rain is scarce in Tibet. The Tibetan Government undertook the following measures to ensure proper rainfall:

First, every year during these months, eight monks from Namgyal monastery were went to seven lakes in and around Lhasa. They would recite special texts to summon the rain.

Second, the Tibetan Government would issue a decree banning construction work, both public and private, when the rainfall was not satisfactory. During the fourth month in particular, construction work was completely stopped.

Third, the Tibetan Government would invite 'gomchen' or hermits who specialized in summoning rain over lakes, to perform special rites in the area around Lhasa.

Finally, if the rain still did not come the government ordered a mass reading of the Kangyur (the doctrine of the Buddha) in the fields for several days. At this time no meat would be served. After completing the reading of the 108 volumes, the scriptures were carried in a circular procession around the fields by monks. The public also joined in this ceremony dressed in their best attire.

Another method employed by government to summon rain was to order the public to play with water in the streets for two or three days. Even the ministers and high lamas were not spared, water was thrown over everyone who went in the streets. This was done during the months of water scarcity to prompt the water god.

Read this most interesting article here:
http://www.tibet.com/Eco/eco7.html


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Things found on the way

The Park of God's Well in Kyoto
Shinsen-En　神泉苑
Already during the Heian period, a dragon was believed to live in the park and if you pray sincerely to it, rain would fall.

. 神泉苑 Shinsen-En Garden ("Sacred Spring Garden") .


Look at more pictures of this lovely historical park.
http://www.kyonosachi.co.jp/kotomonogatari/yoshitune1

This is the park, where the famous lady Ono no Komachi prayed for rain.
Amagoi Komachi 雨乞小町. Lit. rain prayer Komachi.

Komachi ends a drought by offering the following poem as a prayer for rain:
"It is only reasonable since this is the Land of the Rising Sun for the sun to shine.
Nevertheless it is also called ama-ga-shita" (both 天 [heaven] and 雨 [rain] reads ame/ama).

kotowari ya/hi no moto nareba/teri mo sen/saritote wa mata/ama ga shita to wa
ことはりや/日のもとなれば/てりもせん/さりとては又/天が下とは

Usually depicted is the petitioning Komachi by the shore of a pond in heavy rain with a servant behind her opening a long-hand umbrella.
http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/n/nanakomachi.htm

The famous priest Kukai, Kobo Daishi 弘法大師　空海 would also perform rain rituals here on behalf of the Tenno.
He recited a special sutra, Shoo-u-Kyoo　請雨経 for seven days in sincere prayer. Then the good dragon godess, 善女竜王, appeared and started to draw dark clouds together and voila! rain fell !
The Rain Sutra 請雨経 in Japanese:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/worldkigo/archives/26581751.html

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quote
Kuraokami, Takaokami 高おかみ神 , Kuramitsuha
Kuraokami no kami, Takaokami no kami
Kami produced from the blood that dripped from Izanagi's sword when he killed the kami of fire, Kagutsuchi.
When Izanagi's consort Izanami gave birth to the kami of fire, she was burned and died. Enraged and saddened at the loss of his wife, Izanagi beheaded Kagutsuchi with his "ten-span sword," and numerous deities were produced from Kagutsuchi's blood.

According to Kojiki, Kuraokami and Kuramitsuha were produced from the blood as it collected on the hilt of Izanagi's sword and dripped through his fingers. According to an "alternate writing" related by Nihongi, Izanagi killed Kagutsuchi by cutting him into three pieces, thus creating the three kami
Ikazuchi no kami, Ōyamatsumi, and Takaokami.
The word kura is said to mean a narrow gorge beneath a cliff, while okami refers to the dragon tutelary of water, and mitsuha suggests the water as it begins to emerge, or a water-spirit.
source : Yumiyama Tatsuya, Kokugakuin, 2005

. 水速女命 Mizuhanome - Deity of water .

. Rain Rituals at Afuri Jinja 阿夫利神社 .
大山 Oyama, Kanagawa


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The Dragon and Rain Rituals
Chinese ideas, such as amagoi, or praying to the dragon-deity for rain (雨乞い), probably accompanied the dragon concept. Such ideas, which probably played important roles in a rice-farming-based culture like the Yayoi, assume that the water-associated dragon-deity has control over natural phenomena such as rain, the lack of rain, hail, and so on.

Read an interesting essay about ancient rain lore.
Dragon in Japan .
http://www2.gol.com/users/bartraj/TheDragon-1.html

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Gunma
Raiden Shrine 雷電神社 Shrine of the Thunder God

In the swamp of the precincts is a dragon, who is the object of the rain rituals.
雷電神社　板倉町
上野国で盛んな雷電信仰の中心的存在。
ここは、古代、万葉集の東歌に「伊奈良の沼」と詠まれた景勝で、境内の雷電沼のほとりにはこの東歌を刻んだ碑が立っております。昔、この沼からは龍駒・龍馬が飛び出したとも、あるいは龍が棲むとも伝えられ、日照りのときに雨乞いを行い、参拝者が身を清める沼でもありました。このほとりには安産・財運・音楽の神を祀る弁天社もあります。
http://www.raiden.or.jp/


Kyoto, Kameoka
Izumo Daijinguu. Great Shrine of Izumo
A special dance is performed.
出雲大神宮　亀岡市丹波国一宮で、明治までは出雲神社と呼ばれていた。徒然草の一文に「丹波に出雲という所あり」と記述されており、そこに出雲大社の分霊を勧請したといわれるが、元々は御影山を神体とし、有力氏族が祀られた社であったとされる。本殿は足利尊氏が修築したもので、三間社流造の檜皮葺。祭礼では雨乞い神事である風流花踊りが知られる。

http://www.joho-kyoto.or.jp/~retail/akinai/maturi/maturi_izumo.html


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kigo for late autumn

Niukawakami matsuri 丹生川上祭 (にうかわかみまつり)
Niukawakami festival



A festival for rain rituals at the shrine
Niukawakami Jinja 丹生川上神社
in Nara, October 16

For the rain rituals, a black horse was used to induce rain and a white horse to make a long rain stop.

The shrine became the object of Imperial patronage during the early Heian period.
In 965, Emperor Murakami ordered that Imperial messengers were sent to report important events to the guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines including the Niukawakami Shrine.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !





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More

. Suijin 水神　God of Water .
Mizu no Kamisama 水の神様


. Mikumarinokami - Mikumari no kami　 .
and shrines in her name, Mikumari Jinja 水分神社
"Water-dividing kami," tutelaries of the allocation of running water.

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teruteru boozu　てるてる坊主 "Teru-teru Bozu dolls"

- quote
The origins of teru teru bozu dolls
The words of the teru teru bozu song hint to us of the tradition’s origins as an ancient superstition similar to a rain spell or chant calling down rain. The difference is that the teru teru bozu spell appears to be a reversal spell to procure not rain, but fair weather. The offering of a golden bell and sake calls to mind the many ancient archaeological artifacts of large numbers of buried bronze bells that have been found in Japan during the Yayoi Period which significantly was when the rice paddy culture was introduced from the continent into Japan. Sake and fruit wines have been traditional offerings to the kami gods since Jomon times. One wonders if there isn’t a connection.

The story that is most commonly known and cited by the Japanese, as explaining the origins of teru teru bozu, however, is this:

There was a monk who promised a village plagued by constant rains that he could stop the rains that were ruining their crops and bring good weather. When the rain continued and the monk was decapitated by the unimpressed villagers.

The story rings true and plausible but hints of far older practices from prehistoric-to-proto-historic times. We know, from the oldest Japanese historical records of the mythological age and of the era of the earliest emperors of Japan, as well as from archaeological excavations (evidence is found in Asuka, Nara and elsewhere) that there was an ancient practice of human and/or animal (horse, cow, etc.) sacrifice to river gods as well as of soothsayers, fortune-bearers and virgin maidens who traveled with seagoing expeditions, and who were thrown overboard to the sea gods as propitious or conciliatory offerings.

According to scholars, the tradition of weather-watchers and a rich folk culture of hiyorimi (weather-watching rituals and practices) can be traced with certainty to Heian period (749 – 1185) continuing through the Edo period (1603 to 1867). It has been suggested that the teru teru bozu weather-watching practice/ritual in particular was adapted from a Chinese practice which involved putting the teru teru bozu on the end of a broom to sweep good spirits your way.

Continue here
- source : japanesemythology.wordpress.com


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HAIKU

月赤し雨乞踊見に行かん　　　　　　　 　
tsuki akashi amagoi odori mi ni yukan

a red moon -
let us go to see
the rain dance


雨乞や折々のぞく宮の外
amagoi ya oriori nozoku miya no soto

prayers for rain -
once in a while I have a look
outside the shrine
Tr. Gabi Greve


. Masaoka Shiki 正岡子規 visiting shrines and temples .


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雨乞の竜乗込みて瀬の迅し　 　　　　　
ama goi no tatsu nottekomi te se no hayashi

Fujiwara Takao

praying for rain -
the dragon rushes on
to the rapids
(Tr. Nakamura Sakuo)

Japanese Haiku about RAIN
http://homepage2.nifty.com/noura/shiika/amehaiku.htm

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Haiga by Nakamura Sakuo

松明に雨乞行やよるの嶺
taimatsu ni amagoi-gyoo ya yoru no mine
Tan Taigi

rain rituals
in the light of torches -
mountain peaks at night
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

炭　太祇　たん・たいぎ(1738-1791)
http://www.geocities.jp/haikunomori/chuko/taigi2.html


雨乞に夜ひと経よむ僧徒哉
amagoi ni yo hito kyoo yomu zoo kanaa
Kuroyanagi Shoo

for a rain ritual
he reads the sutras -
a monk at night
(Tr. Gabi Greve)


黒柳召波　くろやなぎ・しょうは(1727-1771)
http://www.geocities.jp/haikunomori/chuko/shundei.html


Haiga by Nakamura Sakuo

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Regenzauber, Regenrituale

赤土に雨乞の火を祝女が焚く 　新　城　太　石(unbekannt)
aka-tsuchi-ni amagoi-no hi-wo noro-ga taku 　SHINJOH

Auf der roten Erde/macht die Schamanin Feuer/fuers Regenmachen.
(uebersetzt:TAKANOKURA Yuhki)

the lady shaman
lights a fire on red earth -
rain rituals
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

.. .. ..

雨を乞ふ真夜の火柱立ちにけり 　篠　崎　圭　介(1934～)
ame-wo kou mayo-no hibashira tachi-ni-keri 　SHINOZAKI Keisuke

In der Mitternacht/steht eine Feuersaeule,/um den Regen zu bitten.
(uebersetzt:SATOH Kihakusoh)

a pillar of fire
lights the midnight -
praying for rain
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

http://www008.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kihakuso/html/04sai/natsu04.html

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Another kind of Regenzauber:

Regenzauber -
ein Netz aus gläsernen Perlen
fängt sich den Lichtstreif.

Magie de la pluie -
un filet de perles cristallines
capte le rai de lumière.

magic of rain -
a net of glass pearls
captures the lightbeam
(Tr. Gabi Greve)

Brigitte DORFINGER
http://pages.infinit.net/haiku/autriche.htm

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From the SHIKI archives

head of Waterworks Bureau
prays for rain at the shrine
offering a bottle of sake

*Rain at long last here! Thank Rain-God.
I know a rainmaker who is head of the Waterworks Bureau of Matsuyama City. He sneaked out every morning to make secret prayers at his shrine. He believes that his continuous prayer for rain has been answered this week!

taiko drums
beating the crisp welkin -
villagers dance 'til it rains

(In some remote village it takes place.)

even the dragon
sheds tears of sympathy -
rains of joy for mortals

Takashi Nonin
http://haiku.cc.ehime-u.ac.jp/~shiki/shiki.archive/html/0008/0081.html

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>... rain dance -
>... dust billows around
>... the dancers feet


parched fields -
a farmer whittles
his own dowser*

*Divining rod to seek out sources of underground water.

Carole MacRury

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desert dust; lips thirst.
still to watch rain dance, drunken
me with your sweet wet.

Look at the photo go go with this haiku:
http://splashhall.org/2005/05/17/rain-dance-a-haiku/

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Nakamura Sakuo and the Issa Haiga
http://blog.livedoor.jp/sakuo3903/

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Related words

***** .. .. .. .. Rain in various KIGO (Japan)

***** Water Shortage (Tropics)

***** Drought (hideri, Japan)

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Fudo Myo-O and Rain Rituals - Amagoi Fudo -


. Suneori amagoi 脚折雨乞 .
鶴ヶ島　龍神祭 Tsurugashima Dragon Festival
August

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. Legends about Amagoi .

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
- #amagio #rainritual #regenzauber -
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Ramadan

[ . BACK to Worldkigo TOP . ]
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Ramadan, Ramadhan, Ramazan

***** Location: Muslim Regions
***** Season: Non-seasonal Topic
***** Category: Observance

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Explanation

Ramadan (Ramadaan, ; variations Turkish: Ramazan, Ramazaan)
is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God.
Muslims fast for the sake of God (Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual.
Compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the Gregorian calendar year in 34 years' time.
Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.

Origins of Ramadan
The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic root R-M-Ḍ, as in words like "ramida" or "ar-ramaḍ" denoting intense heat, scorched ground and shortness of rations. Ramadan, as a name for the month, is of Islamic origin. Prior to Islam and the exclusion of intercalary days from the Islamic calendar, the name of the month was Natiq and the month fell in the warm season. The word was thus chosen as it well represented the original climate of the month and the physiological conditions precipitated from fasting.
In the Qur'an, God proclaims that "fasting has been written down (as obligatory) upon you, as it was upon those before you".
According to a hadith, this might refer to the Jewish practice of fasting on Yom Kippur.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !




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Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which in 2005 occurs on November 4 -- literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast". Lasting for the entire month, Muslims fast during the daylight hours and in the evening eat small meals and visit with friends and family. It is a time of worship and contemplation. A time to strengthen family and community ties. Charity and good deeds are always important in Islam and they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques.

Anthony Tidswell
http://francevoila.com/archives/118.html

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quote
Islamic calendar
The Hijri calendar, also known as the Muslim calendar or Islamic calendar , (Arabic: التقويم الهجري‎; at-taqwīm al-hijrī; Persian: تقویم هجری قمری ‎ taqvim-e hejri-ye qamari; Turkish: Hicri Takvim; Urdu: اسلامی تقویم Islami taqwīm; Indonesian: Kalender Hijriah; Malay: Takwim Hijrah) is
a lunar calendar consisting of 12 lunar months in a year of 354 or 355 days. It is used to date events in many Muslim countries (concurrently with the Gregorian calendar), and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day on which to celebrate Islamic holy days and festivals.
The first year was the Islamic year beginning in 622 CE during which the emigration of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, known as the Hijra, occurred. Each numbered year is designated either H for Hijra or AH for the Latin anno Hegirae (in the year of the Hijra).
The current Islamic year is 1433 AH, from approximately 26 November 2011 (evening) to 14 November 2012 (evening).
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, and months begin when the first crescent of a new moon is sighted. Since the Islamic lunar calendar year is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year and contains no intercalation,
Ramadan migrates throughout the seasons.
The Islamic day starts after sunset. The actual and estimated start and end dates for Ramadan in 2007–2017 were and are as follows:

CE / AD --- AH --- First day --- Last day

2007 --- 1428 --- 13 September -- 12 October
2008 --- 1429 --- 1 September --30 September
2009 --- 1430 --- 22 August -- 20 September
2010 --- 1431 --- 11 August -- 9 September
2011 --- 1432 --- 1 August -- 29 August
2012 --- 1433 --- 20 July -- 18 August
2013 --- 1434 --- 9 July -- 7 August
2014 --- 1435 --- 28 June -- 27 July
2015 --- 1436 --- 18 June -- 16 July
2016 --- 1437 --- 6 June -- 5 July
2017 --- 1438 --- 27 May -- 25 June

©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !


Ramadan in 2012
starts on Friday, the 20th of July and will continue for 30 days until Saturday, the 18th of August.

Based on sightability in North America, in 2012 Ramadan will start in North America a day later - on Saturday, the 21st of July.

Note that in the Muslim calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Thursday, the 19th of July.
source :　www.when-is.com


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The Japanese word kisetsu　季節, translated as season,
refers to the climate changes of
spring, summer, autumn and winter.


The English word season can also refer to other things, for example
a certain period of time.
source : www.thefreedictionary.com

Therefore the expression "Season of Ramadan" is not linked to climate, but to a special period of time.

- Reference : season of Ramadan -



Differences and Similarities between
the Muslim Season of Ramadan and
the Christian Season of Lent
source : www.essay-911.com



Thanks to Alan Summers
for the discussion of the differences.


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Worldwide use

ramadan ラマダン

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India

Empty stomach
sweeter emptiness --
Ramadan

Ram Krishna Singh
August 2011




crescent moon-
too parched to intone
Ramadan prayers

Angelee Deodhar
August 2013


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Kenya

The End of Ramadan (Idd ul Fitr) (the spelling used in Kenya) is a public holiday for the Muslim population. Click on the given link for more.

Isabelle Prondzynski

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Turkey

Berat Kandil (Leylatul Berat, Laylatul Barat)
is the 14th/15th of the month of Shaban, night of the full moon before the beginning of Ramazan.
Leylatul Berat in Arabic. "Berat Eve."


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Yemen

"moon of faith" , the moon in Ramadhan
It is also the name of a plum juice drunk as the first thing after a day of fasting.

moon of faith
entered by an ant
my world today

Heike Gewi, Yemen

YEMEN SAIJIKI


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Things found on the way

Verses from Quran
Recital loud and soft,
Under gasolin-lit homes

- Shared by Mokhtar Sah Malik, Malaysia -
Haiku Culture Magazine, 2013


The Quran - literally meaning "the recitation",
also transliterated Qur'an or Koran, Turkish: Kur'an, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the verbatim word of God (Arabic: Allah). It is widely regarded as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !





Homage to our
Beloved mother
Last day of Ramadan

Mokhtar Sah Malik, August 2013



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HAIKU

earthquake in
Ramadan ~ "La illaha il Allaha"
in every mouth

silent earth, after
the absurd quake ~ Ramadan
twilight Nimaz

from the debris
a child still alive ~ Allaha's
grace in Ramadan

Zakat is Allaha's ~
all receive their share
of divine Grace

Narayanan Raghunathan, Autumn 2005
Remembering the huge earthquake in Pakistan and Indian Himalaya

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black and white threads
amongst the rubble and dust
Ramadan earthquake


Iftar -
("iftar" means "breakfast" and the community meal by which Muslims break their fast during Ramadan)

from the classroom dead
placed in his father's arms
iftar is very sweet

camping in the park
they make an iftar picknick
with foreign flour

Siyam (or "sawm") -
"Siyam" is the pillar of faith to keep the fast of Ramadan

one small boy
in an eighteen inch void
observes Siyam


Zakat -
"Zakat" means "almsgiving", the duty to distribute alms and to help the needy.

this year
the Christians also
share in Zakat

so many in need
giving Zakat to cousins
in a childless village

white threads
amongst the rubble
Ramadan earthquake

camping in the park
they make an iftar picnic
with foreign flour

Eryu

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Zakat (with an accent on the second syllable) means "sunset" in Russian.

Zakat solntsa -
nebo sine-lilovo-
oranjevoe

Sunset:
the sky is blue-purple-
orange

Zhanna P. Rader

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Ramadan--
a glass of water
untouched

Roh Mih, Philippines 2005
Haiku from the Philippines

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Ramadan
the muezzin rouses
the lazy rooster



Djenné, Mali, West Africa

© Haiga by Norman Darlington
http://eirmode.com/mm/pic.cgi?a=m&p=2

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muezzin's call
a kite's silhouette
beneath orange clouds

muezzin's call
a one-horned cow pushes
at the hotel gate

-- Johannes Manjrekar, India

http://haiku.cc.ehime-u.ac.jp/nobo/20060927/18352.html


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Ramadan -
power off
at school


after fresh dates
the face meets dust --
Allahull-Akbar


the date bowl
a hot spot for ants too ...
Al-Fatoor

[Al-Fatoor = Iftar]

Heike Gewi, Yemen, September 2008


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Related words

***** Ramadan ends (Idd ul Fitr)

***** ..... Ramazan, Berat Kandil Turkey 　
Leylatul Berat, Laylatul Barat　　

***** Sambosa, samosa
Food during the Ramadan. Yemen


***** Minaret, tower of a mosque



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