The Mountain Closing Ceremony

The mountain closing ceremony, held in the house of the shrine priest in town each November, is the final rite of the annual cycle. Worshippers bring numerous food offerings associated with the recent harvest. The ceremony concludes with the year's final performance of the Cooking Pot (kamado) ceremony, overseen by kamisama spirit mediums. After this rite is performed, the mountain slopes are considered closed to the conduct of ascetic discipline (shugyo) until the Mountain Opening ceremony, the following May 1. (During the winter months, ascetics may undertake shugyo within the precincts of Akakura Mountain Shrine itself.)