What do the cucumbers and eggplants on the tray mean? | blog | Shimanami Memory for the ocean scatter of the Seto Inland Sea

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I used illustrations of cucumbers and eggplants when I wrote about "time to visit graves" on my blog. At that time, my boss glanced at my article and said, "Do you know the meaning of these cucumbers and eggplants?" I wondered what it was, so I looked it up, so I hope you will read it!

Meaning of "cucumber" and "eggplant"

Cucumbers and eggplants are animals that ancestors ride back home during Obon, and are called "Shoryuuma".

Cucumber... "Shoryuuma"

It is likened to a fast-footed horse so that the ancestors can come home early.

Eggplant... "Shoryushi"

It is likened to a cow so that many offerings can be placed on it and you can slowly return to the other world.

In some areas, it means "spirit cow" to welcome you slowly, and "spirit horse" to avoid getting lost on your way home. The meaning of the spirit horse seems to differ depending on the region and sect.

How to place a spirit horse

The way they are placed varies depending on the family, but in general, they are often displayed in the "spirit shelf" or "entrance".

The orientation of the spirit horses is also important, so place them facing inwards on the day you pick them up, and face outwards on the day you send them off. Also, as a method of not changing the direction, you can place the spirit horse facing inward and decorate the spirit cow on the outside.

These also change depending on the region and sect, so it might be a good idea to consult with your family or relatives before decorating.

It's a good old Japanese tradition of decorating spirit horses in memory of ancestors.

It's easy to make, so it might be a good experience to make it together with small children while telling them that they will make horses and cows to welcome their ancestors during Obon.

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