The taikodai is decorated with some objects symbolic of rain; dragon motif is commonly used because dragons are believed to be the gods or shinshi (messengers of the god) bringing rain, and tassels that represent rain indispensable to agriculture are hanging from each edge of kukuri (a bundling rope) protruding from the four corners of ju (a roof of the taikodai). 龍は雨を呼ぶ神、またはその神使とされていることから、重の四隅の括りの両端から伸びる房が雨をあらわすものとされた。 |