Whether Teru teru bozu has some kind of magical power or not is still unknown, but in fact there people who have tried this kind of method of preventing the rain, and it did success.., but the simple fact is, Teru teru bozu is really fun to play with, it’s an adorable doll that maybe we can play it for fun, Japanese apparently also still defend this doll mythology, looked by the elementary school that still taught the students to make the doll and hoping the next day will be a clear weather day. Its usually taught before the picnic in Japan.
Many Japanese folk historians, believe this story of Teru teru bozu is real and teru teru bozu have some kind of magical power due the executed monk. While kids these days also thought the same. But there are also many contra about believing this, the others thought that the origins of teru teru bozu may have originated from long after the tradition, and not from the story. Instead that this teru teru bozu just some kind of fun traditional doll that have been played for a long time
At the first, Teru teru bozu is some kind of traditional doll that usually made by kids or farmer to prevent the rain, its usually made by white piece of cloth and hanged outside at the window by some kind of string or thread. The word of Teru teru bozu itsef can be divided by two words, that its “teru” that means sunshine in English and “bozu” is a monk, but in these days, many people says that bozu is rather a “bald headed”.
It is said that teru teru bozu have some kind of magical power that can stop the rain from coming.
Teru teru bozu itself has a some kind of chant to be made, that is like this “Fine-weather priest, please let the weather be good tomorrow." But now, it’s rarely for people to chant that again, instead just hanging the Teru teru bozu out and hoping for a sunny weather on the next day.
Teru teru bozu itself also have the mythology on the first hand, it is said that originally, on the past there was a monk who make an oath to the farmers that he will make the next day weather to be sunny, apparently on that time the monk make the promise, there was a long period of rain which ruining crops to dead. On the next day, its next day, it seems that the monk have failed out and he was executed. It seems that this Teru teru bozu itself is according to that story, where the “bozu” words refer the monk, and and “teru teru” is supposed to be a joke, that stated the brightness which made by the reflection of that bald headed. It’s a little funny though, it’s kinda insulting also for the people who have a bald headed, Ha..ha..ha..
Some also stated that Teru teru bozu must be hanged upright,if you make the opposite then it will the rain more to come. Teru teru bozu also have a song, that seems this song is made by the origins of the story of Teru teru bozu, it is composed by Shinpei Nakayama and published in 1921.
One of lyrics of the song is like this :
Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu
Do make tomorrow a sunny day
But if the clouds are crying (it’s raining)
Then I shall snip your head off
Cruel but it’s the fact,
In these days, the kids make the Teru teru bozu by a tissue paper or a cotton.
Actually, Teru teru bozu is really famous in japan when it comes to Edo periods, it’s usually made by the children in that era, to hoping that the weather next day will be good or sunny. Even until now, there is many people still believe in that doll, especially kids. Although how it made now is different with the older one. But we can see that Japan is still really defend its culture, not only in japan but, in the other country too.
One of the writer in my references below, have tried at home, he said that after he made and hang the doll out, the weather of all week is sunny…..
Whether it’s a coincidence or not, it still remain unknown…..
In this section, I will do some review about kinds of Japanese Mythology. There are many kinds of Japanese mythology, that I cannot include all of it, so what I’m gonna do in here , I will do some review about some of doll in Japanese mythology which might interest you all, that is Teru Teru Bozu, this section is consist of 4 part, that is :
