478 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



cherry is used (Comus brachypoda, Jap.mizu no lei), while on the oppo- 

 site side of Volcano Bay, at Morabetsu, and on the east coast of Mukawa 

 and south, the willow* is used. These sticks or iuao have the same 

 meauing as the goheij of the shinto temples of the Japanese. 



Shavings of the same wood are attached to all sorts of objects, especi- 

 ally to such as are used on festive occasions. Inao were placed on the 

 four corners of the bear cage. In the fire-place, in the middle of the hut, 

 an inao was set up. Around the fire-place mats were spread, on which 

 the company was seated. The host first made an offering of sake to the 

 fire god, in which he was followed by the guests. Then another offering 

 was made to the house god before the corner sacred to this god. 



During the ceremony the Ainos, seated on the mats, first raise the 

 drinking cup with the left hand to the forehead, while the right hand 

 is somewhat raised with the palm upward. Then the moustache-stick, 

 which has thus far rested across the top of the drinking cup (Fig. 77), is 

 dipped into the sake and a few drops thrown into the fire, the stick 

 being moved several times back and forth above the cup. At the same 

 time a prayer is murmured. This ended, the sake is drunk in large 

 draughts, while the moustache is held up with the stick. This ceremony 

 not only takes place on festive occasions, but is carried out whenever 

 sake is drunk. While the gods were receiving their offerings and the 

 drinking vessels passed from hand to hand, many greetings were ex- 

 changed, and I was again made welcome by a long speech from the 

 host. 



Meanwhile the woman who had reared the bear was sitting at one 

 side, very sad, at times in tears. Her sorrow was certainly not pretended. 

 She also presented a drink offering, and two other old women did the 

 same. The drinking ceremony of the women is much simpler than that 

 of the men. They merely raise the wine cup once before drinking and 

 pass the forefinger across the face, under the nose. 



After the close of the ceremony in the house, offerings were made 

 before the bear cage by the host and others. The bear also received sev- 

 eral drops of sake in a shell, which he immediately turned over. Then 

 began a dance of the women and young maidens before the cage (PI. 

 cxiv), which continued a long time, with short interruptions. With 

 faces turned toward the cage, and slightly bent knees, rising on the 

 toes and hopping up, they moved in a circle around tie cage, clapping 

 the hands and chanting a low, monotonous song of a few words oft re- 

 peated. The hostess and a couple of old women, — who may have reared 

 many bears, — danced, with tears, and tenderly caressed the bear; but the 

 young people laughed and sang. Bruin gradually became aroused by 



*I found tho willow in almost universal use for inao throughout the greater part 

 of the island.— R. H. 



tThe author is in error here. The gohei do not represent the gods. They are 

 simply offerings, originally offerings of cloth, now represented by strips of cut paper. 

 The inao seem to represent the god. There is no reason to suppose they are in any 

 way related to the Japanese symbols. — R. H. 



