Understanding the groundbreaking ceremonies that are performed prior to construction work in Japan.
During your explorations of Japan, you may have come across a small square of four upright bamboo poles, tied together with straw rope featuring little strips of paper, in an otherwise empty lot. This is part of the setup for an important Shinto ritual known as jichinsai (地鎮祭) — a groundbreaking ceremony performed prior to the construction of a house or other type of building (any building).
Jichinsai is a purification rite held to appease the kami (gods or spirits); construction causes significant disturbances to the land, and obtaining permission for the building work is seen as important. The ceremony is also a way of praying for the safety of workers during the construction project, as well as for its smooth completion, and prosperity for the occupants of the new structure. It also gets rid of any bad vibes that might be lurking around the area.
The ceremony is performed by a Shinto priest, who is booked in advance. The construction company can make arrangements (and jichinsai costs are often included in the total quote they provide), or the building owner can organize it themselves if they prefer.
Commencing construction without a jichinsai ceremony would be unthinkable for most Japanese people; although for many it may be more of a societal custom than a religious rite, not having one would seem odd. Even if a building owner tried to opt out, the construction workers may insist on having one for their own peace of mind (they typically attend the ceremony).
On the day of the jichinsai, the Shinto priest, dressed in colorful ceremonial attire, sets up a sacred space (marked by branches of sakaki or the bamboo poles mentioned above) and an altar within it, onto which he places an array of offerings. The kami are then invited to be present, and the purification ritual begins. Water, sake and salt may be used to cleanse the construction site.
Next, it’s time to perform the actual groundbreaking component of the ceremony. The land may be symbolically cleared with a ritual wooden tool before a small mound of soil is “demolished” to break the ground. Everyone present then has a small serving of sake before the kami are sent on their way. A protective amulet may be used during the jichinsai and then placed into the foundation of the building.
Some people choose to have another ceremony, called jotoshiki (上棟式), just before the framework of the building goes up — but this is much less common than the jichinsai.
And that’s that. Neither of these ceremonies preclude Western-style housewarming parties once the building is complete — a trend that seems to be growing in Japan.
Hat tip to this blog for an up-close look at jichinsai.
By Carey Finn
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