Feature Exhibition On-Matsuri and the Sacred Art of Kasuga
In Japan, rocks, trees, and mountains can have a spiritual presence. In some cases, they are one and the same as kami, the spiritual beings that reside throughout the natural world. Kasuga Taisha is an ancient shrine at the base of Mikasa Mountain that has long been an important place of communion with these spiritual beings. This exhibition centers on the annual festival of On-Matsuri, which is held each year at one of its auxiliary shrines. On-Matsuri, or The Grand Festival of Kasuga Wakamiya Shrine, has an especially deep-rooted history: it continues traditions that emerged in the Heian period (794–1185) when devotions were offered to Kasuga Wakamiya, who often appears as a water deity (suijin). Of the many shrine festivals throughout Japan, focusing on this festival in particular allows for an appreciation of how, for the Japanese, belief in kami can shape one’s relationship to nature.
