“Oikemono”, Shinto Ritual（part 4), Before and After

These are the seven kinds of seeds for this Shinto ritual to be buried

which are acorns, chinquapins,“Tokoro-imo” (Dioscorea Tokoro, Japanese yam ) , chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, “Japanese nutmegs” and persimmons.

Besides these, they put two thinly cut flatted oval-shaped rice cakes called “Ushino Shita” (Ushi means cow and Shita means tongue). The rice cakes mean fertilizer.

These are the seeds (Oikemono) from a year ago which were dug out this year.

They are all black with soil around them.

As you see them in the picture, there are roots coming out from Tokoro imo.

T.S