Golden Dragon Festival and a Geisha Performance!!

 

March 18th--On March 18 in the year 628, two brothers found a statue of the Boddhisattva Kannon while fishing in the Sumida River, which runs through present day Tokyo. They threw it back into the water. Soon thereafter, it appeared once more in their nets. They discarded it again, and when the statue showed up a third time, they figured that it must be some sort of sign.

They took the statue to their chief, who listened intently to the story and was deeply affected.  He joined the priesthood and changed his house into a temple in order to house the Kannon statue.  It was the first temple established in the village which later came to be known as the Senso-ji Temple in what is now the vast city of Tokyo.   When the figure was enshrined in the temple, Kannon herself was said to have descended from the sky to the temple in the form of a golden dragon.

It’s this legend to which the Golden Dragon Dance, performed during a festival held annually on March 18th, seeks to honor and recreate at the Senso-ji Temple.  We were invited to go experience this fun event with the Hunter family, whom we know through church.  They also homeschool, and arrived in Tokyo just a few weeks after we did.  My older kids had learned about this infamous Japanese legend in school in America, and they were really excited to go to this festival!

 Watching over the Senso-ji Temple gate are two guards.  Children of mine, when are you old enough to be endowed in our LDS temple, you will need to remember the many statues that we saw in Japan that were positioned much like this one.  There is a correlation here, and it's pretty mind blowing. 

We arrived at Senso-ji around 11:30 a.m., and the Golden Dragon Dance was just finishing up.  The dance is performed at 11 a.m., and again at  2 and 3 p.m.  It looked like we had just missed the first dance.  So, that gave us some time to wander around and explore this temple while we waited for the 2 p.m. performance.

Senso-ji is the oldest temple established in Tokyo. (the current building was rebuilt in 1958)  It is famous for its very large paper lanterns that are at the gate and in front of the temple itself.  There is a smaller temple to the right of the main Haiden, and the two fishermen brothers that found the Kannon statue are said to be enshrined there, along with the village head who became a priest and turned his home into this gorgeous temple.

Senso-ji is a large complex with many statues, buildings, and a five-story pagoda.  There was plenty to see while we waited.

We wandered around for a bit, and then everyone had to go to the bathroom.  We found the facilities and just as everyone was finishing up and we began walking toward the smaller temple, we came upon something so exciting!  A geisha performance was just beginning!!!  What luck!!

Seeing geishas perform is a rare opportunity, unless you are willing to pay a lot of money.  Here we were, getting to see these beautiful performers for free. 

The place that geishas hold in Japanese history is long.  Geishas sometimes have a risqué reputation, but that is a false perception of who they are and what they do.  Geishas are entertainers, and they are trained vigorously in art, music and dancing. If you translate geisha into English, you get artist.   To become a geisha, they have to go through an intense six month training period, followed by an exam.  It is emotionally and physically exhausting as well as extremely expensive.  After they pass the exam, they are still under strict supervision for about five years and will continue to take classes.

The girl playing the drum is still in her training period, and is almost ready to take her exam. 
During the training to become a true geisha, the girls need to become proficient in many things, such as: tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy, playing the shamisan (a three string instrument), the drum, the flute, singing, dancing, and conversation. They must always show poise and grace.  Once she passes her exam, the geisha will take on a new professional name.

Geishas also have to learn to perfect the traditional way of doing their hair and makeup.

Hair is washed about once a week, and the design of the style so intricate it has to be done by a professional.  They often wear heavy wigs and hair extensions, and it takes such a toll on their real hair that they will usually have bald spots on their scalp.  The flowers and decorations that are traditionally worn are heavy and very expensive. 

Their makeup is done in a specific way, depending on how long they have been a geisha.   A thick white foundation is applied to the face, neck and chest. A line is left around the hairline to create a ‘mask’ look.   An upside down  'W'-like shape is left at the back of the neck, which is supposed to look beautiful and alluring.  If a geisha has passed her exam but is still in her first year of working, she will only paint her lower lip red, to show that she is still perfecting her art.  She will paint both lips red after the year has passed.

It takes a geisha about 2-3 hours on average to get ready for work.  Her kimonos must be of the highest quality and are extremely expensive.  Looking this beautiful takes a lot of money and time, and is worthy of admiration.

This performance was so beautiful and special!  One geisha was singing, two were playing instruments, and there were a couple more dancing with fans.  It was on a beautiful stage, and the whole thing just came together to be a wonderful, truly magical experience.

The ending of the first dance.

Then, three more geishas came out and performed together.

They were very graceful and simply breathtaking to watch.

All too soon, they were finished with their performance.  We didn't want them to stop, we could have stood and watched them for a long time.  It was mesmerizing. 

As they left the stage, they were greeted by the audience and had several cameras shoved in their faces.  This geisha's hair was so gorgeous, it was truly a work of art in and of itself.

Near the stage where the geishas performed, we noticed this portable shrine.  There were three of them, and they were positioned in front of the small temple dedicated to the priest and the two fishermen brothers that found the Kannon statue in the river.  They must be here today to honor the priest's and two brother's spirits in some way.
Sister Hunter and two of her children, Sophie and Conner, are in the picture with us. 

We found a place to sit down and eat our packed lunch near the main temple. 

There were a few people in kimonos milling around, and the kids got a picture with some of them. 

People were beginning to gather around the place where the dragon dance would be held, and so we decided that we had better hold our place as well.  I stayed with Kirstin and staked out our territory while Sister Hunter took the rest of the kids around to explore more of the statues, waterfalls, and ponds full of koi fish that were nearby. 
While I was waiting, two of the geishas walked by me.  I didn't have my camera handy, and quickly scrambled to get it out.  Unfortunately, I wasn't quick enough to get their faces.  All I got were their backs.  Oh, they are so beautiful!!

This tree was pretty with its buds forming, set against the temple's main gate. 

The kids returned with Sister Hunter and the Golden Dragon Dance began.  The first thing that came in was this cart of geishas.  They would provide the music for  the performance.

Next, these adorable little boys came in.  They are all dressed the same and are from a kindergarten.  Their job is to hold pine branches symbolizing the 1000 pines the dragon/Kannon created that fabled night when she descended on the temple.  The pine trees symbolize abundance, prosperity and longevity.

Next, the golden dragon was brought in with much fanfare and excitement.  (Tokyo Skytree is in the background.)

The dragon was brought into the area and went around in a circle....

...before coming to a stop in the center of the area.

The ceremony began by having this gentleman speak, followed by a Buddhist priest.  We didn't know what they were saying, and our interpreter--Raymond--was at work.  But, this is a sacred ceremony, so we assumed that the priest was blessing the ceremony in some way.

The kindergarteners were already getting bored while the priest was talking.  Caught one of them yawning....pretty cute.

One geisha began to sing.....

...while the others began to play their instruments.  There were also some men that played the drums.

Then, the Golden Dragon Dance began!

The dragon itself is an enormous marionette that is 60 feet in length and weighs 194 pounds.  It is operated by 8 people who are volunteers in the community.  It is not easy to move this dragon around and by the time the dance was done they were sweating.

An important part of the dance is a ninth dancer who is holding a lotus flower symbolizing the Buddhist teachings.  It seemed like the dragon wanted to attack it, but it actually wants to protect it.

The performance ended, and everyone parted so that the dragon, kindergarteners, and cart of geisha performers could exit.

In the main courtyard in front of the Haiden, the dancers stood holding the golden dragon so that worshippers could come and touch it.

Each of the kids got to touch the dragon.

The dancers were wearing these shoes, and let me take a picture of them.

They were very similar to a pair of shoes that were displayed on the inside of the temple's gate.  These traditional straw sandals are called "o-waraji" and are the charm against evils because they are symbolic of the power of Ni-Ou.  Many people will touch these sandals on the gate and wish for the ability to walk well.

After awhile, the dragon began to weave back and forth through the crowd as it excited out of the temple complex.

This is the outside of the temple gate looking in toward the temple.  If you look close, you can see the dragon making its way out.

While we were watching the dragon, a policeman suddenly appeared and hurriedly told us to move.  We didn't know what he was saying, but he grabbed Kirstin's stroller and moved her and us aside just the geisha cart came through.  In the confusion, Caitlin and Audra got separated from the rest of us and were on the other side of the path that was created for the geishas and drummers.

The two girls had a better view of the dragon coming through the gate than the rest of us did.  We thought we were out of the way, but apparently we weren't!  We were glad that the policeman helped us get out of the way, and afterward could laugh at the sight of a policeman pushing Kirstin's stroller.

What an AMAZING day!!!!!  To be able to experience the sacred ceremony that celebrates such a well-known Japanese legend was very special indeed!  And, to have a geisha performance all in the same day--this was one of the most awesome days in Japan that we have experienced thus far!!!

Here's what the kids thought of the day:

Caitlin:  The geisha dance was the best part!

Tayla:  I really liked the big lanterns.  The pagoda was really pretty.  The geisha girl dance was really cool to see and I like their outfits--their kimonos and hair.  The dragon was really big and it was cool to watch it dance.  It was cool to touch it, too. 

Chris:  LOVED IT!  My favorite part was being able to touch the dragon.  I was touching the dragon, and one of the men who was holding up the dragon tapped me on the shoulder and handed his stick to me.  He showed me how to lift it and then it let me lift it up and down and wave it around.  I also really liked the dragon dance.  The geishas looked like Queen Amidala wearing a kimono with a fan.

Logan:  My favorite part was the geisha dance.  I think they were pretty.  The dragon looks like the origami dragon that I'm making right now.  I liked the music that was playing and the dragon was pretty cool.  I really liked the red pagoda.  I like the bottom of the huge lanterns at the gates, they had dragons on them.  I liked the little wagon that the guys were pulling around with geishas inside. 

Nathan:  I liked dragon dancing.  That's all.  It felt like a gold stuffed animal to me. 

Audra:  I see the dragon dancing.  I see a dragon tail.  I saw drums.  Dragon is sparkly.