Himaru Nagasaki 【EMA-SHI】

I am a Winner of the Shinto-Culture award which is given to the people who have done tremendous contribution for continuity of Japanese traditional culture and prosperity of Shinto shrines by Jinja Honcho which organizes more than 80,000 Shinto shrines in Japan. My Ema works are put at the most famous shrines in Japan, and also at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport).

Activities: Dedication of Big size Ema

・Ise Jingu Sukeikai

・Izumo Taisha

・Simogamo Jinja

・Munakata Taisha

・Kaikoku Ichinomiya Asama Jinja

・Mankusen Jinja　

・Kanda Myojin

・Imperial family （Akishinomiya Denka）

・Ema exhibition at Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport), International

Terminal

・Ema exhibition at Izumo Enmusubi Airport

 

Over thousand years ago, alive horses had been dedicated to shrines,In Japan.It made simplified to modern style Ema which is made of wood and painted some pictures on its surface with some words including Japanese people’s hopes and we give thanks to the eight million gods of the natural world, In Japan.

Ema culture started its role to deliver to the natural world people’s thanks to annual crops.Prayer for crops and thanks for nature of our ancestors are put into Ema. The things that people become wealthy too much may make them lose their thanks to Gods in nature. I am wondering if gods may feel angry against people’s arrogance.I work as Ema painter to relay Ema culture to next generation, not to forget thank-minds to gods in natural world. It would prevent making people being arrogant. 

Himaru's votive tablets are drawn on natural "Kiso Hinoki".This Kiso cypress is a special type of cypress, and is a very valuable cypress that is also used in the shrine of Ise Grand Shrine.It is over 300 years old and is said to be the best in the world in terms of quality.