YouTube Live Stream of Once a Year Shinto Service
年越の大祓Toshikoshi-no-Ōharae & 除夜祭Joya-sai for 2020
Thursday, December 31st, 2020 at 7:00 pm (PST)
On December 31st, Shinto Shrine of Shusse Inari in America will hold its once a year Shinto Service Toshikoshi-no-Ōharae and Joya-sai.
In the Toshikoshi-no-Ōharae, we pray to the nature spirits / Kami-sama for purification and ask to recharge our spirits, and bless us with health and protection from misfortune and illness. In this service, Shinto Shrine of Shusse Inari in America provides traditional services with mystic rituals that have been passed down through generations of the priest’s family. One such ritual is the use of katashiro, or hitogata (when used for people) on which are written the mystic words, “Tokusa-no-kamdakara.” Hitogata are slips of paper that are cut into the shape of a person in order to represent the person it is being used for. The hitogata is thought to carry all of that person’s kegare. We also offer this service for pets and vehicles. We have received hitogata and katashiro from those who are interested in participating in this service, so we will hold the special ritual service for them.
For Joya-sai, which is the new year’s eve matsuri, we tell our gratitude to the nature spirits, Kami-sama, with regards to this whole year’s blessings, and ask for their blessings for happiness, good fortune as well as prosperity for the coming new year.
The Closing Talk (only for Shinto Inari Kai and Patrons) is about details of “Tokusa-no-kamdakara” which we use for the Toshikoshi-no-Ōharae ritual.
We plan to live-stream the service on YouTube starting at 7:00 pm (PST) on the channel “ShintoInari.” We hope that you can join us wherever you are at the time.
When you visit Shinto Shrine, you put some Osaisen into the donation box, so when you join the service, please follow the custom.
