Ofune Boko was destroyed in the great fire of 1864, and only some of its treasures survived. To reconstruct such a large float, of such complex shape, under Japan’s current economic conditions seemed an incredible undertaking. It’s to the chōnai‘s enormous credit that they were able to bring it all together within a decade. It’s also an incredible accomplishment for a broader community of supporters: donations accounted for the majority of the ¥120 million in costs, and reconstruction was possible in part thanks to technology, university research, and other floats’ support. Ofune Boko originally paid tribute to the same four deities as Fune Boko, but all of its sacred statues and regalia – save Empress Jingū ‘s noh mask – were lost in the fire. This gives us an idea of how precious noh masks were considered: someone must have risked their life to retrieve it.
Source URL: https://www.gionfestival.org/ofune-boko/
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