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A small shrine of 田の神様TA NO KAMISAMA(paddy field god)

Strolling countryside in Japan we sometimes find a small shrine beside paddy fields. It’s for TA NO KAMISAMA. In our faith and folklore he comes down from mountain to village area every February. People enshrine him next to their paddy field. And he stay there until October to guard farmer’s agricultural work. And after harvest he returns to mountain. This is a basic pattern of Japanese agricultural faith.

Now I found TANO KAMI SAMA when I was taking photos of flowers. But the paddy field seemed to have been abandoned for long time. At first I felt disappointed. But I saw it twice and three times, and found there was Sakaki sprig. That is a offering.Someone offered it to the shrine.
The paddy field had gone. But the faith is still alive.