Toka

   'Stamping song'. A rite of Chinese origin traditionally carried out as a haru-matsuri (spring festival) around the time of the first full moon of the new year. Participants form a procession and stamp the earth while singing to pacify the spirit of the earth in order to secure a good harvest. A rather formal toka jinji 'stamping dance rite' is conducted by priests at the Atsuta Jingu to pray for a good harvest. It includes divination (bokusen) by the sound of a small drum and a toka no sechie or 'stamping song banquet' preceded by ten minutes of saikai (abstinence). The Atsuta rite, now held on January 11th, is listed among the annual festivals of the shrine in the Heian period. Toka may also mean '10th day'; see Toka ebisu.