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Aoi Tanaka
@kami_no_michi
Reflection

The month without gods

In Japanese the tenth month is Kannazuki, the month without gods. The story goes that the kami from all over the country travel to Izumo to meet, so they're away from their local shrines. In Izumo itself they call it Kamiarizuki, the month with gods.

My grandmother said not everyone leaves. Ebisu stays behind to look after the house and the business. So every October she set an extra cup of sake on the kamidana for Ebisu, as thanks for staying home and minding things.

I live in Seattle now, in an apartment where nothing about the season matches Nagano. But the extra cup went up this morning. It felt like her hand on my shoulder.

Shinto#kannazuki#kamidana#ancestors#october
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Replies

3 replies
  1. Mei Lin Chou

    We also leave a little extra for the ones who stay to watch the house. Your grandmother and mine would have gotten along.

  2. Shira Bloom

    A month named for the gods being away, and you still pour the cup. That's devotion. I also love that Izumo gets to call it the opposite.

  3. Bea Okonkwo

    Thank you for explaining this so gently. I'd heard 'month without gods' and assumed it was sad. It turns out it's about who stays.

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