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  • Shinto priests Masatsugu Okutani, 41 (far right) together with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71 dressed in their ceremonial clothes in preparation for the Summer Grand Purification ceremony to be held at the Yabuhara Sanctuary. They are the  24th and 25th uninterrupted generational SHINTO priests in their family line dating back to the 12th century AD. Seen here with priests Kagesi Toyama (far left) and Kiyoto Suyama (center left), which will assist in the ceremonial festivities which take place over a 36 hour period in early July every year.  The essence of the ceremony is to remove temporarily all impurities such as rational thought from ones body and mind and maximize one's sensitivities. In other words to be in a state of heightened concentration of the "here and now" and allow one's sensitivities to be replenished as they are a constant source of japanese cultural identity, Kiso Mura village.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 dresses into his ceremonial clothes in preparation for the Summer Grand Purification ceremony to be held at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71. They are the  24th and 25th uninterrupted generational SHINTO priests in their family line dating back to the 12th century AD. The essence of the ceremony is to remove temporarily all impurities such as rational thought from ones body and mind and maximize ones sensitivities. In other words to be in a state of heightened concentration of the here and now and allow ones sensitivities to be replenished as they are a constant source of japanese cultural identity, Kiso Mura village.
    20160708_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • The Mikoshi is carried through the village of Kiso Mura as part of the Summer festival parade. Here been ovesrlloked by Kazufumi Okutani, 71 the senior Shinto priest of the village of Kiso Mura. For all the participants it’s an all day sake drinking affair, stopping en route to soak up the alcohol with food as they sing along as part of the celebrations. The Mikoshi is also a portable Shinto shrine which on continuation of the ceremony is then carried by a large number of strong young men on their shoulders across the village for approximately 12 – 14 hours.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 dressed in his ceremonial clothes in preparation for the Summer Grand Purification ceremony to be held at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71. They are the  25th and 24th uninterrupted generational SHINTO priests in their family line dating back to the 12th century AD. Seen here leaving the family home to walk to the inner sanctum of their sanctuary.  The essence of the ceremony is to remove temporarily all impurities such as rational thought from ones body and mind and maximize ones sensitivities. In other words to be in a state of heightened concentration of the here and now and allow ones sensitivities to be replenished as they are a constant source of japanese cultural identity, Kiso Mura village.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 dresses into his ceremonial clothes in preparation for the Summer Grand Purification ceremony to be held at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, with the help of two of his Shinto priest colleagues, Kageji Toyama and Kiyoto Suyama from neighbouring villages. The essence of the ceremony is to remove temporarily all impurities such as rational thought from ones body and mind and maximize ones sensitivities. In other words to be in a state of heightened concentration of the here and now and allow ones sensitivities to be replenished as they are a constant source of japanese cultural identity, Kiso Mura village.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 dresses into his ceremonial clothes in preparation for the Summer Grand Purification ceremony to be held at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, with the help of two of his Shinto priest colleagues, Kageji Toyama and Kiyoto Suyama from neighbouring villages. The essence of the ceremony is to remove temporarily all impurities such as rational thought from ones body and mind and maximize ones sensitivities. In other words to be in a state of heightened concentration of the here and now and allow ones sensitivities to be replenished as they are a constant source of japanese cultural identity, Kiso Mura village.
    20160708_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 together with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71 conduct the Summer Festival starting in Yabuhara sanctuary and weaving itself through Kiso Mura village. Seen here the moment of the ceremony called Houbei-no-gi, which expresses the deepest respect moments after the most central part of the sanctuary which dates back to 680 AD at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, is taken down to be placed inside the Mikoshi. The festival known as Matsuri in Japanese is conducted across  80.000 Jinjas sanctuary throughout Japan and the number of Jinja increase to 4.000.000 sanctuaries if including very small ones. All sanctuaries have their own Matsuri throughout the year and Grand festival, known as Taisai. This is only conducted once a year at each sanctuary. The summer festival is called Yabuhara Jinja Taisai annual Grand festival, which is commonly known as Yabuhara Matsuri. Matsuri have been conducted uninterupted every year since the founding of the sanctuary in 680AD.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 together with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71 conduct the Summer Festival starting in Yabuhara sanctuary and weaving itself through Kiso Mura village. Seen here the moment of the ceremony called Houbei-no-gi, which expresses the deepest respect moments after the most central part of the sanctuary which dates back to 680 AD at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, is taken down to be placed inside the Mikoshi. The festival known as Matsuri in Japanese is conducted across  80.000 Jinjas sanctuary throughout Japan and the number of Jinja increase to 4.000.000 sanctuaries if including very small ones. All sanctuaries have their own Matsuri throughout the year and Grand festival, known as Taisai. This is only conducted once a year at each sanctuary. The summer festival is called Yabuhara Jinja Taisai annual Grand festival, which is commonly known as Yabuhara Matsuri. Matsuri have been conducted uninterupted every year since the founding of the sanctuary in 680AD.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shinto priest Masatsugu Okutani, 41 together with his father Kazufumi Okutani, 71 conduct the Summer Festival starting in Yabuhara sanctuary and weaving itself through Kiso Mura village. Seen here the moment of the ceremony called Houbei-no-gi, which expresses the deepest respect moments after the most central part of the sanctuary which dates back to 680 AD at the Yabuhara Sanctuary, is taken down to be placed inside the Mikoshi. The festival known as Matsuri in Japanese is conducted across  80.000 Jinjas sanctuary throughout Japan and the number of Jinja increase to 4.000.000 sanctuaries if including very small ones. All sanctuaries have their own Matsuri throughout the year and Grand festival, known as Taisai. This is only conducted once a year at each sanctuary. The summer festival is called Yabuhara Jinja Taisai annual Grand festival, which is commonly known as Yabuhara Matsuri. Matsuri have been conducted uninterupted every year since the founding of the sanctuary in 680AD.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Shimenawa and Shime tied to a tree in the grounds of a temple. Nikko, Japan. Sacred places are typically marked with a shimenawa (special plaited rope) and shime (strips of white paper). Placed at the entrances of holy places to ward off evil spirits, or placed around trees/objects to indicate presence of kami. Made of rice straw or hemp, the rope is called nawa 縄. The pieces of white paper that are cut into strips and hung from these ropes (often hung from ropes on Torii gates as well) are called shime 注連 or gohei; they symbolize purity in the Shintō faith.
    150101_japan_1533_1.jpg
  • The Sarutahiko-no-kami. the role of these Kami are to guide the Mikoshi during the Summer Festival parade through the village of Kiso Mura. As one theory goes, it is said that these kami represents western people as they have big nose, big eyes, red and white faces, and blond hair. Sarutahiko-no-kami guides Mikoshi from the Yabuhara sanctuary, across the village and back to the sanctuary at the end of the festivities.
    20160709_Masatsugu_okutani_shinto_Ki...jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 relaxes reading a book at home in Paris before heading off to the offices of the Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12766_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 relaxes reading a book at home in Paris before heading off to the offices of the Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12660_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 relaxes reading a book at home in Paris before heading off to the offices of the Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12914_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 shaves at home in Paris before heading off to the offices of the Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12597_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 relaxes reading a book at home in Paris before heading off to the offices of the Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12501_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 relaxes reading a book at home before getting ready for work, Paris.
    20160114_shinto_paris_12495_1.jpg
  • A couple walk holding hands through Tori gate to the Toshogu Shrine. Nikko, Japan
    150101_japan_1503_1.jpg
  • Nobori banners at Tsurugaoka Hachiman_Gu shrine. Kamakura, Japan
    150101_japan_1200_1.jpg
  • Murata Takeshi and Fujita Takehiro in traditional Kyudo costume stand at the Nashinoki Jinja Shrine. .Kyudo is a modern Japanese martial art derived from ancient Samurai archery, heavily influenced by Zen Buddhist philosophy.
    SFE_020803_0010.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41  who works for Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe has a drink and dinner at Cafe Charbon with friend Sarah, Paris.
    20160117_shinto_paris_13439_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 Japanese businessman who works for Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe takes a stroll through Saint Germain de Pres with girlfriend Sarah in his leisure time, Paris.
    20160116_shinto_paris_13327_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41, visits the Pinacoteque  to see a Karl Lagarfeld exhibition with friend Sarah in his leisure time, Paris
    20160116_shinto_paris_13143_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41  who works for Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe has a drink and dinner at Cafe Charbon with friend Sarah, Paris.
    20160117_shinto_paris_13495_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 holds a meeting with clients at Foodex a French import company of Japanese  and American products, Paris.
    20160115_shinto_paris_13029 copy_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 works for Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe stops for a coffee i Saint German de Pres with friend Sarah, Paris.
    20160116_shinto_paris_13415_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 Japanese businessman who works for Japanese food company Ajinomoto for whom he is the Marketing manager responsible for the Cos sales throughout Europe takes a stroll through Saint Germain de Pres with girlfriend Sarah in his leisure time, Paris.
    20160116_shinto_paris_13289_1.jpg
  • Masatsugu Okutani, 41 holds a meeting with clients at Foodex a French import company of Japanese  and American products, Paris.
    20160115_shinto_paris_13029_1.jpg
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