Rev. Tetsuji Ochiai and Rev. Yukihiko Tsumura conducted Shinto Fall ceremony on October 12. The Fall ceremony started at 11 o'clock with a purification ritual called 'Shubatsu'. The priest recited a short purification prayer, and symbolically purified the offering and people in attendance by waving the 'Haraegushi'. A beginning bow was dedicated to the Kami. Then the door of the shrine was opened by Rev. Ochiai. (This door is opened only three times a year--at the Spring ceremony, Fall ceremony and Annual ceremony.)

Those priests dedicated food offerings to Kami, then Rev. Ochiai recited a prayer, ' Norito.' The priest and participants dedicated branches of evergreen 'Tamagushi'. The Fall ceremony ended with a final bow to Kami.

This was the harvest ceremony. This fall ceremony and the Spring ceremony are the origins of the Shinto ritual. They were started in prehistoric times and have not changed since. In this ceremony on October 12, the participants touched the oldest culture of Japan.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed the food and drink(sake) dedicated to the Kami at the ceremony. Some people browsed through the books in our library.