The Psychological Meaning of Fire Symbols in Japanese Spring Festivals

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  • 日本の春祭りにおける火の象徴の心理学的意味

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Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to present two traditional Japanese fire festivals（Otōmatsuri and Ōmihachimansagichō-matsuri）, psychologically interpret the meaning of their fire symbols and through that discuss the characteristics of the traditional Japanese way of life. These two fire festivals show that the connection with “the self”（Jung, 1921）recovers the vitality of the ego. In addition, they suggest that the ego has to abandon the egoistic and self-protective way of life in order to connect with “the self”. The fire of these festivals symbolizes abandoning the egoistic and self-protective way of life as well as getting the power of “the self”. These two festivals share this trait, but there are also some differences. The participants in Otōmatsuri temporarily become gods, while the participants in Ōmihachiman-Sagichō-Matsuri never become gods. Otōmatsuri shows that the ego has to endure the conflict of its opposing inner forces in order to abandon the egoistic and self-protective way of life. This corresponds to Jungʼs thought that, in the individuation process where the ego makes the relationship with “the self”, it is most important to unite these opposing inner forces.

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