🎌NATIONAL FOUNDATION DAY🎌
February 11th's 'Kenkoku Kinen-no-hi' celebrates the 'founding' of Japan by the first emperor, Jimmu (神武天皇 711-585BC).
Shimogamo-jinja, because of its links to Jimmu, puts great effort into celebrating National Foundation Day, with displays of kendō and kemari.
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It is said that Emperor Jimmu was guided from Kumano to (what would become) Yamato by a divine, 3-legged bird.
The 'Yatagarasu' (八咫烏) was believed to be an incarnation of Kamo Taketsunumi (賀茂建角身命), one of the principal gods later enshrined at Shimogamo-jinja (下鴨神社).
Emperor Jimmu ascended the throne on New Year's Day (the first day of the first month) in the traditional lunar calendar.
There is no historical evidence that Jimmu existed, but the date is significant as New Year is an auspicious time for change and fresh undertakings.
Originally known as 'Kigensetsu' (紀元節 'Festival of the Accession of the First Emperor and the Foundation of Japan'), the holiday was moved to February 11th with the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar in 1873 (in part to remove it from the distractions of the lunar New Year).
National Foundation day was established in 1966, repackaging 'Kigensetsu' for a post war Japan.
Japan's new constitution was deliberately approved on February 11th (1946), once again using this symbolic date as a new start.
In many ways a ritualistic form of keepsie upsies, kemari is played to entertain the gods.
The game involves a circle of 6-8 people attempting to keep a deer-skin ball called a 'mari' (鞠 - 24cm wide) in the air for as long as possible, using only their heads, feet, knees and back.
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