Dondoyaki

So I'm finally over this cold. Kinda threw me for a loop.

But yesterday was a lovely day AND it was time for dondoyaki, or "burn all your bad mojo" for the year. Basically, it's the tail end of the New Year's rituals. All those lovely wreathes that have been around town, hanging over doors, from the front grills of cars, in front of businesses... time to round 'em up and burn 'em. They've been sucking up the bad mojo for the past few weeks and yesterday it was time to do a little cleaning by fire and burn all the bad shit off. Or... it was just a lovely day for a festive bonfire.

So we all took a stroll down to Hachimon, the big Shinto shrine in these parts. The ladies looking lovely, of course. Nico doing a nice job of gripping Champ's wreath (our car) on it's way to holy immolation.

Then it was flame on courtesy of a Shinto priest.

Champ's wreath ready for the flames.

One of several piles of fuel for the fire.

Even Daruma went up in flames.

Nico, suitably impressed.

Tags: Japan | Takayama | religion | Shinto | New Year | Daruma | fire