Osame-no-Suitengu (Year's Last Suitengu Fair)
Seasonal EventsWhat Is Osame-no-Suitengu?
December 5th is "Osame-no-Suitengu," the final Suitengu fair day of the year. The 5th of every month is the ennichi, or fair day, of Suitengu shrines, and because December 5th is the last one of the year it carries the prefix "osame," meaning the closing occasion.
A Marker for the Year's Last Fair Day
Suitengu shrines enshrine Amenominakanushi-no-Kami among other deities and are widely known for prayers for safe childbirth and conception. The Suitengu in Kakigaracho, Nihonbashi, Tokyo is among the best known, with others across the country.
- Fair day: the 5th of every month
- Meaning of "osame": the last fair day of the year
- Enshrined deity: Amenominakanushi-no-Kami, among others
- Prayers offered: safe childbirth, conception, protection from water-related harm
December Is Full of "Osame" Days
December is when the year's final fair days cluster at shrines and temples. Osame-no-Kannon on the 18th, Osame-no-Daishi on the 21st, Osame-no-Jizo on the 24th and Shimai-Tenjin on the 25th follow one after another through the latter half of the month. Visitors increase as people come to give thanks for the year now ending.
Tips for Marking This Day
- Find out where the nearest Suitengu shrine is
- Look back on the year and plan a visit
- Check your calendar for December's other "osame" days
- See whether you have charms or talismans to return before year's end
Counting Down the Year by Fair Days
Ennichi come every month, but in December each becomes the last of its kind for the year. Osame-no-Suitengu is a quietly December-like way to feel the year closing.