11/27/2025 20:32
🔸 1. Why a “Rooster”?
In the old Japanese zodiac calendar, each day is assigned an animal.
The Day of the Rooster is believed to be especially lucky for starting new things, business, and work safety — which is why the festival is on those days.
🔸 2. The Three Times in November
You might hear First Rooster (Ichi-no-Tori), Second Rooster (Ni-no-Tori), and sometimes Third Rooster (San-no-Tori).
If there is a Third Rooster, people traditionally say it can mean a “more turbulent winter,” based on old folklore.
🔸 3. The “Clapping Ceremony” When You Buy a Kumade
When someone buys a decorative rake, vendors often perform a rhythmic clap called “Sanbon-jime.”
It’s a celebratory gesture wishing for good fortune and successful business.
🔸 4. You’re Supposed to Buy a Bigger Kumade Each Year
This is considered a sign of growing fortune and personal progress.
Even if you move up only a tiny size, it symbolizes “prosperity increasing little by little.”
🔸 5. Why Are There So Many Decorations on the Rake?
Each ornament has meaning:
🔸 6. Food Stalls Are Part of the Tradition
Takoyaki, yakitori, sweet potatoes, amazake…
Even if you’re not praying, many people go just for the festival food atmosphere.
🔸 7. Some People Return Their Old Kumade
Before buying a new one, many people bring last year’s kumade back to the shrine to be ritually burned.
This symbolizes “resetting the luck” for the new year.
