On 28th November, the 7 areas of Chiburijima Island all made their own “Snake God” – a huge snake made from straw. The ritual is carried out on the same day every year. The “Snake God” is around 12m long and about 15cm in diameter. The straw snake has horns, a tongue, ears, fangs, an open mouth and mane; the straw snake looks very much like a dragon🐉! The locals also make snake eggs from straw, and the eggs are woven into the snake. The number of participants joining the ritual has increased, and not just only men and children, but recently the ladies of the areas also participated. Once the straw snake is completed, it will be coiled up in the hall of the temple, and then purified with sake and salt.
After that, the locals carry the “Snake God” and parade through the neighbourhood, which will then be wrapped around the sacred tree. The “Snake God” is made to pray for various things, such as warding off disease, giving thanks for the good harvest of the year, and praying for the prosperity of descendants. In some areas, it is said that wrapping a child with the straw snake and hitting the child’s head with the tail will improve the child’s academic performance.
The origin of the ritual is unknown, but the straw “Snake God”, introduced from the region of Izumo, is said to be the prototype of the shimenawa rope, a special rope of the Shinto religion used to mark sacred boundaries.
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