A mikoshi (神輿 or 御輿) is a divine palanquin (often improperly translated as portable Shinto shrine). Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine. Often, the mikoshi resembles a miniature building, with pillars, walls, a roof, a veranda and a railing.
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Typical shapes are rectangles, hexagons, and octagons. The body, which stands on two or four poles (for carrying), is usually lavishly decorated, and the roof might hold a carving of a phoenix.
During a matsuri (Japanese festival) involving a mikoshi, people bear the mikoshi on their shoulders by means of two, four (or sometimes, rarely, six) poles. They bring the mikoshi from the shrine, carry it around the neighborhoods that worship at the shrine, and in many cases leave it in a designated area, resting on blocks called uma (horse), for a time before returning it to the shrine. Some shrines have the custom of dipping the mikoshi in the water of a nearby lake, river or ocean (this practice is called o-hamaori). At some festivals, the people who bear the mikoshi wave it wildly from side to side to "amuse" the deity (kami) inside.
The most common method of shouldering in Japan is "Hira-katsugi(Normal style) | 平担ぎ" The shout is "wasshoi | wa syoi | わっしょい" and the bearers do not sway the mikoshi.
One famous way of shouldering is "Edomae style | 江戸前" seen by Asakusa Sanja Festival etc. The shout is "say ya, soi ya, sah, sorya...etc" The mikoshi is swayed rapidly, up and down and a little to the right and left. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4-PRjCedFE
"Dokkoi | ドッコイ " is seen in Shonan in Kanagawa Prefecture. This shouldering style usually uses two poles. The mikoshi is moved up and down rhythmically, and more slowly than in the "Edomae style" One shout is "dokkoi dokkoi dokkoi sorya" and there is a song called a "Jink | lively song." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJCxRngg95Y
Odawara (next to the Hakone) "Odawara style | 小田原担ぎ " This is a peculiar way of shouldering in which multiple mikoshis meet and run (Holy Dash). The shout is "oisah;korasah/koryasah." and there is a song called a "Kiyari | "log-carriers(fishermans) chant" The bearers do not sway the mikoshi. In this "united" style, the mikoshi uses the full width of the road, moving from side to side and turning corners at full speed. It looks like the burnout and drift of a car. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YyjVH7FVuw
A mikoshi was believed to have been first used to transport Hachiman to Tōdai-ji temple from Usa Shrine八幡宇佐宮御託宣集 (This "Usa" is Not America) in 749.