Katorisenko Mosquito Coils at Japan Shinto Shrine Ceremony

This short clip shows how Japanese mosquito coils (katorisenko) can be used in an outdoor setting. The burner in this case is a special canister with a fireproof mesh to hold the incense coil. This type of burner can even be worn on the waist when a lid is used. The event shown in the video is a Shinto religious ceremony being performed to bless our community's newly acquired drum (taiko). The drum will be used at community festivals and our neighborhood children's group is hosting the ceremony. Mosquitoes are an annoying problem during the hot and humid Japanese summer and people have for centuries been swatting at the insects during the day and taking refuge under tent-like nets at night. One of the most successful methods of discouraging bites is the use of special insect repellent incense coils called katorisenko. This unique form of incense makes use of a natural plant compound called pyrethrum which is derived from Old World plants of the genus Chrysanthemum. Pyrenthrum has very little effect on mammals and birds though it is a natural nerve poison to insects and will repel and discourage mosquitoes from biting. The compound is naturally biodegradable and will break down readily with prolonged exposure to sunlight and is considered one of the safest insecticides for use around food. The Japanese have developed many unique and interesting incense burners (koro) for use with katorisenko. One of the most popular is the classic pig koro which is shaped like a pig and provides openings at the front and back for smoke ventilation.

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YouTube | July 5, 2008

Tags:. .natural. .hold. .though. .summer. .provides