Hari-Kuyō (Japanese: 針供養) is the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Festival of Broken Needles, celebrated on February 8 in the Kanto region, but on December 8 in the Kyoto and Kansai regions.[1] It is celebrated by women in Japan as a memorial to all the sewing needles broken in their service during the past year, and as an opportunity to pray for improved skills. It is also called the Needle Mass and Pin Festival.[2] "Hari" means "needle" and the suffix "-kuyo" means "memorial",[3] derived from a Sanskrit word pūjā or pūjanā, meaning "to bring offerings".[4]
Hari-Kuyō began four hundred years ago as a way for housekeepers and professional needle-workers to acknowledge their work over the past years and respect their tools. In the animist traditions, items as well as humans, animals, plants, and objects are considered to have souls. This festival acknowledged the good given to people by their tools. Practitioners went to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples to thank their broken needles for their help and service.[5] This is in keeping with the philosophy of "not wasting" or "paying honor to the small things" exemplified in the concept of mottainai.
A ceremony at the Awashima Shrine
Modern practice
Festival-goers gather at shrines and temples, bringing their broken needles and pins. In a funereal atmosphere, the implements are laid to rest in tofu or konnyaku (soft jelly cakes) in a spirit of tenderness and gratitude.[6]
"A small three-step altar is set up and hung with a sacred rope and strips of cut white paper which indicate a sanctified area. On the top step are offerings of fruit and sweet cakes. On the middle step is a cake of tofu and on the bottom step are various sewing accessories.
On this day, the seamstresses take a holiday and bring their old needles to the temple to stick them in a piece of tofu or konnyaku. Threads of the five Buddhist colors were used with the needles."[7]
Sources
Asai, Hiro. "Needle mass: Hari-kuyo" Beauty of Kimono in New York at accessed on February 8, 2014.
Bates, Debbie. "Hari-kuyo: Festival of Broken Needles," Stitchtress.com at accessed on February 8, 2014.
Kretschmer, Angelika. "Mortuary Rites for Inanimate Objects: The Case for Hari Kuyō", Japanese Journal of Religious Studies Vol. 27, No. 3/4, Mortuary Rites in Japan (Fall, 2000), 379-404.
hari, kuyō, japanese, 針供養, japanese, buddhist, shinto, festival, broken, needles, celebrated, february, kanto, region, december, kyoto, kansai, regions, celebrated, women, japan, memorial, sewing, needles, broken, their, service, during, past, year, opportunit. Hari Kuyō Japanese 針供養 is the Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Festival of Broken Needles celebrated on February 8 in the Kanto region but on December 8 in the Kyoto and Kansai regions 1 It is celebrated by women in Japan as a memorial to all the sewing needles broken in their service during the past year and as an opportunity to pray for improved skills It is also called the Needle Mass and Pin Festival 2 Hari means needle and the suffix kuyo means memorial 3 derived from a Sanskrit word puja or pujana meaning to bring offerings 4 Contents 1 History 2 Modern practice 3 Sources 4 NotesHistory EditHari Kuyō began four hundred years ago as a way for housekeepers and professional needle workers to acknowledge their work over the past years and respect their tools In the animist traditions items as well as humans animals plants and objects are considered to have souls This festival acknowledged the good given to people by their tools Practitioners went to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples to thank their broken needles for their help and service 5 This is in keeping with the philosophy of not wasting or paying honor to the small things exemplified in the concept of mottainai A ceremony at the Awashima ShrineModern practice EditFestival goers gather at shrines and temples bringing their broken needles and pins In a funereal atmosphere the implements are laid to rest in tofu or konnyaku soft jelly cakes in a spirit of tenderness and gratitude 6 A small three step altar is set up and hung with a sacred rope and strips of cut white paper which indicate a sanctified area On the top step are offerings of fruit and sweet cakes On the middle step is a cake of tofu and on the bottom step are various sewing accessories On this day the seamstresses take a holiday and bring their old needles to the temple to stick them in a piece of tofu or konnyaku Threads of the five Buddhist colors were used with the needles 7 Sources EditAsai Hiro Needle mass Hari kuyo Beauty of Kimono in New York at https web archive org web 20140221184439 http blog1 kimonohiro com 2009 02 needle mass hari kuyo html accessed on February 8 2014 Bates Debbie Hari kuyo Festival of Broken Needles Stitchtress com at https web archive org web 20140225201850 http stitchtress com 2010 02 08 hari kuyo accessed on February 8 2014 Boyd David ed Hari kuyo The Japan Foundation at http www jpf org au onlinearticles hitokuchimemo issue7 html accessed on February 9 2015 Greve Gabi Saijiki for Festivals and Ceremonies at http wkdfestivalsaijiki blogspot com 2011 01 needle ceremonies hari kuyo html accessed on February 9 2014 Japan Times Festivals in Japan at http www japantimes co jp events festival listings accessed on February 9 2014 Kretschmer Angelika Mortuary Rites for Inanimate Objects The Case for Hari Kuyō Japanese Journal of Religious Studies Vol 27 No 3 4 Mortuary Rites in Japan Fall 2000 379 404 Notes Edit Greve Gabi Saijiki for Festivals and Ceremonies at http wkdfestivalsaijiki blogspot com 2011 01 needle ceremonies hari kuyo html accessed on February 9 2014 Bates Debbie Hari kuyo Festival of Broken Needles Stitchtress com at http stitchtress com 2010 02 08 hari kuyo Archived 2014 02 25 at the Wayback Machine accessed on February 8 2014 Willem TRC Database Search Our Collection Hari Kuyo Japan trc leiden nl trc needles texts films customs and event celebrations hari kuyo japan Kretschmer 379 Bates Bates Greve Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hari Kuyō amp oldid 1059228760, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
