Hi, everyone!

I’m a staff Mako, I live in Osaka for 3 years. Yes, my home town is not here, I’m from Tokushima prefecture.

You might think “Japanese culture” is interesting, yes, I believe so, too. But “Japanese culture” is not only one. Depends on the region, cultures are completely different. I find “Only Osaka’s culture” very much, that’s because I’m not from here. Sometimes people who live in that place, they don’t notice their culture.

So I will introduce “Osaka’s culture” from my aspect!!

When I came to move here 3 years ago, I was surprised with big festival of new year. It’s not on new year date, that festival is held on 9th to 11th January every year.

That festival name is “Toka Ebisu“, commonly it’s said “Ebessan“.

Actually, it was first time to hear “Ebessan” festival, because it’s held only Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara..) area, not in my hometown.

What kind of festival is it?

When it’s said plainly, it’s the festival for business prosperity. “Ebessan” is the name of Japanese god of wealth or commerce. Osaka’s people go to pray “Ebessan”, to shrines. The most famous shrine nearby MITSUWAYA, it’s Imamiya-Ebisu Shrine.

What do the people do at the festival?

When you go to “Ebessan” festival, you will hear the song, “Shobai hanjode sasamotte koi!” That song means “Come here with bamboo gras for business prosperity!” And you will see many people have bamboo gras, and you will see something on bamboo gras.

Bamboo is something special, it’s a symbol of patience, progress and life. Old Japanese believed that there is God of life in bamboo gras. So people go to shrine to greet “Ebessan” with bamboo gras, than they buy small treasure to put on the bamboo. Small treasure is, like Rice bales, magic hummer, sea bream, and so on.

After buy such kind of small treasure, they enjoy stalls stores, then go back home, put that bamboo gras in the house for 1 year. They believe “Ebessan” always take care of them.

Osaka is the town which is developed by commerce. That’s why “Ebessan” festival became such a big, I think. Hmmmm, how difficult to explain traditional thing in English!!lol I’m not sure that I could tell correctly.

Anyway, try there and feel this festival!