FUNADAMA

[Japanese] Boat-spirit. A female divinity who protects and helps mariners and fishermen. Funadama is represented by symbols such as a woman's hair, dice, money and the five grains inserted into the mast of a boat. On August 15 at the Hodosan jinja, Saitama, the Funadama matsuri ("boat festival") is held. This festival dates from the Tokugawa period when travelers by raft from Chichibu to Eda prayed for safe passage on the Arakawa river.