Mushiokuri in Sutta

Last night was the mushiokuri event in Sutta, Wakayamamachi, Suzu City.

Mushiokuri (虫送り) is an agricultural rite that had been widely practiced among Japanese rice cultivators to chase away (送るokuru) bugs (虫mushi) that infest the paddies at this time of year. With the spread of agrichemicals and recent changes in socio-economic arrangements in rice production, however, the significance of the event has faded away. The Sutta version is said to be the closest to the original form in the area.
Nevertheless, local 5th and 6th graders were called in to join the torch procession led by the lantern, the nusa carrier, the drum and the Shinto priest.

(will add pics and texts)

The children thus sung:

Unkamushi, unkamushi, tondeike
Sadono shimamade tondeike

Fly away, (unka bug),
Fly away to Sado Island.



--Why Sado?