神社を降りた後、神輿は町の氏子の中でもいわゆる立場の高い方の家々に赴き、その門前で神輿を振って挨拶をする。そして川奈港付近の休憩所まで来ると最後の力を振り絞って、再び神輿を大きく揺らし、あるいは勢いよく万灯へ突っ込み、またはその場でぐるぐると神輿を回転させる。

After the portable shrine went down from the precincts, it visited the homes of 
the high-ranking parishioners in the town. And the carrying men gave a greeting by swinging it in front of the gates. Then, they came to the rest room for scuba 
diver near Kawana port. With the last of their strength, they moved up and down it again and again, rushed into “Mantou” with all their might and rotated it 
around and around on the spot.
7月に開催された熱海の祭りでも、最後、神輿を降ろす直前には、押し寄せては戻され、を何度も繰り返す。

そこで川奈の神輿の一連の行動について伊東市に尋ねたところ、万灯に向かっては戻される動きは、”神への挨拶と厄払いの祈願”であるらしい。神輿がその場でグルグル回るのは、”それぞれの町内の境目などで御祓いと御清めを意味する振る舞い”とのことである。そして神輿を上下に揺らすのは、”御祓いと御清め、神への挨拶を加味してる”、との説が有力であるとのお話であった。

At Atami Festival which was held in July, the process of being pushed back and forth was repeated over and over again just before the shrine was lowered.

So, I asked Ito City about the series of actions in Kawana Festival. The answer 
is that “Rushing into Mantou” is “the gratitude to God and the prayer for 
protection from evil spirits”, “Rotating the shrine on the spot” is “the behavior 
that signify exorcism and purification at the boundaries of each town” and 
“Moving the shrine up and down” is “including exorcism, purification and 
greetings to God. This theory is received widely.
老齢の親父が十分頑張ったと判断するまで、神輿を降ろす許可が得られない。周囲で見学している地元の女性がボソッと、呟く。
「背が低い子はかわいそうだよねぇ。」
低身長の人が神輿の前部を、高身長は後部を担ぐのが、習わしだった。

They didn’t get the permission to lower the portable shrine until the stubborn old men judged that they have tried hard enough. A local woman who watched their hard try mumbled
“I feel sorry for the short men.”
It is the tradition that the shot men carry the front and the tall ones the rear.
所々で休憩を挟むので、その度にあちこちに出掛けてみる。

まずは近くの、普段スキューバ・ダイビングで海へと入る場所まで行ってみる。

川奈の湾は北が開いているので、北風が吹くと海が荒れる。潜ることができない日には既に別のスポットへの移動がスタッフさんから用意されているので、荒れた川奈を見るのは、3年近く通っているにもかかわらず、実は初めてである。あまりの変化に圧倒されつつ、人知を超えた海の威力とはこれほどまでかと、脅威よりもむしろ感動を覚える。人が関わることを許されない領域である。

As they took a break many times, I went out here and there each time.

At first, I went to the entry spot of scuba diving near here.

As Kawana Bay is open to north, the sea becomes rough when the north wind 
blows. At the day that we can’t play scuba dving in Kawana, the stuff is already ready for another spot. Therefore, it was actually the first time I had seen 
Kawana in a rough state, even though I've been going there for almost three 
years. I was overwhelmed by so much change. I realized the power of the 
ocean is beyond human comprehension and too tremendous. I felt a deep 
impression rather than a threat. It was an area where humans are not allowed 
to get involved.
（数日前に潜った時の、穏やかな川奈の動画です。）

(The movies below are the calm condition of Kawana. I played scuba diving a 
few days ago.)
神輿は、担ぎ手の集団を交代して中盤に入る。ここでは川奈祭りのメインの行事、”神輿を担いだまま海に入り、海神に豊漁と海の安全を祈願”する。”お浜入り”と呼称されている。

普段はイルカ浜で行われるそうなのだが、今年はこの荒れようである。

The festival entered the midfield and the group of the carrying men took turns. 
In this field, the main event that they enter the sea with carrying the portable 
shrine and pray to the sea god for a good catch and safety at sea was held. The event is called “Ohama Iri”.

Ordinary, it is held at “Dolphin Beach”. But it was too rough this year.
それ故に、今年は周囲を囲われた漁港での”お浜入り”となった。陸で担いでいても充分重たい。にもかかわらず、担いだまままま海に入る。水の中では動きにくいので、当然、さらに力を振り絞らねばならない。そのため、重さが倍増したように感じるそうである。

Therefore, “Ohama Iri” was held at surrounded fishing port. The portable shrine is heavy enough on the land. In spite of it, they have to enter the sea with 
carrying it. As it is hard to move in the water, they must use even more strength naturally. Because of those, they feel like the weight has doubled.
海から上がって一度休憩した後、神輿はイルカ浜と川奈港の間から延びる突堤へと運ばれる。町内の代表者が神主の祝詞を厳かに受け止めて、神輿とその背景の海に向かって真摯に祈る姿は感動的で、直向きな願いの強さを痛感する。

After they came out of the sea and took a break, the small shrine was carried to the jetty stretching out between Dolphin Beach and Kawana Port. I was deeply 
impressed by the atmosphere that the representatives from the town solemnly 
accepted the priest's prayer and prayed to the shrine and the background sea 
earnestly. I keenly felt the strength of their sincere wishes.
祝詞を上げる前には普段の感謝の気持ちを込めて、神輿には代表者らが自らの手で様々な収穫物をお供えされていた。

私自身も、川奈の海にはお世話になっている。祝詞の終了と散会を見計らって、御神輿の前まで進み出る。しばし眼を瞑り、今日までの海の安全を感謝し、今後もお守りくださるようお願いした。

Before performing a ritual prayer, the representatives offered various harvests 
in front of the small shrine with the usual gratitude.

I myself have been indebted to the sea of Kawana too. After finishing the ritual 
prayer, I stepped forward to the portable shrine. I closed my eyes for a while, 
and I thanked God for the safety of the seas to date and asked God to continue to protect us in the future.
イルカ浜を歩くと、大好きなウミスズメの御遺体が打ち上げられていた。ウミスズメの体は、形状からもわかる通りでハコフグ同様、硬い骨質で覆われている。そのため、外皮は乾燥すると、すっかり固い。爪で軽く叩くと、コツコツと音がする。ハコフグ系をこよなく愛する私にとっては、死してなお、その姿形をとどめる様子にも愛嬌を感じてしまう。

When I walked through “Dolphin Beach”, I found the body of my favorite 
“Roundbelly Cowfish” on the beach. As you can see from its shape, the body is covered with hard bone, just like the boxfish. So, when the outside skin dries, it becomes too hard. If you tapped it lightly with your fingernail, you would hear a 
sound like tapping a plastic. As I’m a huge fan of boxfish, I found that it was so 
cute because it retained its beautiful shape even after death.
後続の万灯と山車は、イルカ浜訪問者用の広い駐車場に運び込まれていく。

“Mantou” and the floats which followed the portable shrine were carried into the large parking lot for visitors to Dolphin Beach.

川奈いるか浜 · 〒414-0044 静岡県伊東市川奈１００４

★★★★☆ · 釣り桟橋

https://maps.app.goo.gl/1kqeuADb1LMpzze9A

川奈いるか浜 · 〒414-0044 静岡県伊東市川奈１００４

★★★★☆ · 釣り桟橋

https://maps.app.goo.gl/1kqeuADb1LMpzze9A