Cormorant Festival Makes Predictions for 2008

Every December, a city in Ishikawa Prefecture uses a Cormorant to predict the future:

At midnight on December 16 in Hakui City, Ishikawa Prefecture, a hunter carries a live cormorant into Keta Shrine. The head priest of the shrine performs Shinto rites at 3:00 A.M., afterward opening the doors of the main building and consecrating the cormorant in the sanctuary In the sanctuary the hunter exchanges questions and answers with the priest. Then, after all the lights are extinguished save for one on the altar, the cormorant is released. As it advances toward the light it also approaches the altar, and the manner of its approach provides a clue about the future. Its service rendered, the bird is returned to the sea.

Here is a video showing the results of this year’s divination:

Upon its release, the cormorant sat around doing nothing for several minutes, after which it flapped its wings and jumped onto the altar. Priests have interpreted this to mean that we should not rush things in the coming year, but instead act with prudence and discretion.