"YAMA ‚ HOKO AND YATAI" CEREMONIES IN AICHISPIRITUAL AND UPLIFTING
Japan has four seasons, and its people live in harmony with nature.
In spring, people sow the seeds of crops and in summer, they pray to be protected from natural disasters and plagues. Autumn is a season for giving thanks, and the harsh cold of winter toughens people's spirits. People's lives are rooted in the seasons, and their sentiments are distilled and expressed through festive events. That's why there's a drama to festivals. Folk's souls stir with the passion handed down through generations.
Many festivals are held in Aichi throughout the year. Because the climate varies across the regions, a variety of flowers bloom, and flower events are always a success drawing many admirers. Now, let's dive into Aichi. If you can feel the seasons changing, then you're getting closer to Aichi.
TO BE REGISTERED AS AN INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE BY UNESCO
Chiryu CityChiryu Festival
Chiryu Float Bunraku and Karakuri
Records of this event as a festival of Chiryu Shrine remain from the Edo period (17th Century). It is the only festival in Japan in which doll joruri performances and karakuri puppet shows are given from the top of floats.
- Highlights
- Floats which measure 7 meters tall and weigh 5 tons a piece are brought out from five towns. In the Hon Matsuri festivals held once every two years, after the floats have progressed through the streets to the sound of the so called "kamimai" festival music quite as though they are going to squash the eaves of one house after another, the floats go into a shrine, and float bunraku and karakuri shows are performed.
In the Ai Matsuri held the next year there are no float bunraku and karakuri performances, but gorgeously decorated floats are dedicated to the shrine.
- Date
- May 2 and 3
- Inquiries
- 0566-83-1111 (Chiryu Tourism Association)
- Access
- Chiryu Shrine: 12, Jinden, Nishimachi, Chiryu-City, Aichi
10 minutes' walk from Chiryu Station on the Meitetsu Nagoya Main Line
- Details
- http://www.city.chiryu.aichi.jp/0000000936.html
Handa CityShiohi Festival
Kamezaki Shiohi Festival Float Event
When Emperor Jimmu made his expedition eastward as told of in Japanese myth, it is said that he came ashore from the sea in this land. It is in connection with this legend that Kamezaki Shiohi Festival is held at Kamisaki Shrine in Handa City's Kamezaki-Town, a place which faces the sea of Koromogaura.
- Highlights
- Five floats decorated with elaborate carving and gorgeous screens are drawn around the town and come together at Kamisaki Shrine and Owari Sansha Shrine for karakuri doll dedications. The biggest highlight of the event is the epic "Hikioroshi", in which the floats race as one down the beach in front of the shrine, change direction when the water touches them, and push on while the waves wash over their wheels.
- Date
- May 3 and 4
- Inquiries
- 0569-32-3264 (Handa City Tourist Association)
- Access
- Kamisaki Shrine: 2-92, Kamezaki-Town, Handa-City, Aichi
15 minutes' walk from Kamizaki Station on the JR Taketoyo Line - Details
- http://shiohi-matsuri.com/
Inuyama CityInuyama Festival
Inuyama Festival Float Event
The event that has been handed down to the present began in 1635 at the encouragement of Naruse Hayato no Sho Masatora, a chief retainer of the Owari Tokugawa family and lord of Inuyama Castle, as a festival of Haritsuna Shrine, where the local guardian deity is worshiped.
- Highlights
- Thirteen splendid floats, all of them with three tiers, give karakuri doll performances that have been passed down since the Edo period, to the sound of flute and taiko music. At night, all the floats weave their way through avenues of cherry blossom trees in full bloom as they parade through the castle town, each of them bearing 365 glowing lanterns. The magnificent sight is truly like something out of a nishiki-e woodblock print.
- Date
- First Saturday and Sunday in April
- Inquiries
- 0568-61-2825 (Inuyama City Tourist Association)
- Access
- Haritsuna Shrine: 65-1, Kitakoken, Inuyama, Inuyama-City, Aichi
15 minutes' walk from Inuyama Yuen Station on the Meitetsu Inuyama Line. - Details
- http://inuyama.gr.jp/festival/731
Tsushima CityTenno Festival
Owari Tsushima Tenno Festival Danjiri Boat Event
This festival of Tsushima Shrine has 600 years of history. It ranks among the three largest river festivals in Japan, and is often said to be the most gorgeous of all the many summer festivals held around the country.
- Highlights
- During Yoi Matsuri(Yoi Matsuri is a night festival), five "makiwarabune" straw boats are rowed across the Tenno River to the sound of Tsushimabue flutes, each boat having 12 lighted lanterns (the number of months in a year) set on it vertically and 365 lighted lanterns (the number of days in a year) set on it in a semicircle.
During Asa Matsuri(Asa Matsuri is a morning festival), a further boat is added, and from it ten naked young men jump into the river, race to the shrine and dedicate spears to the god.
- Date
- Fourth Saturday and Sunday of July
- Inquiries
- 0567-24-1111 (Tsushima City), 0567-37-0231 (Aisai City)
- Access
- Tennogawa Park: 1, Miyagawa-Town, Tsushima-City, Aichi
20 minutes' walk from Tsushima Station on the Meitetsu Tsushima Line. - Details
- http://www.tsushima-kankou.com/festival/tennnou/tenno_festival.html
Kanie TownSunari Festival
Sunari Festival Danjiri Boat Event and Miyoshi-nagashi
A festival of Tomiyoshi Takehaya Shrine and Hakken Shrine which has been passed on for 400 years, with the hope of dispelling epidemics. After the two days during which the danjiri boat and Miyoshi events are held, various other rituals are held over a period of around 100 days.
- Highlights
- During Yoi Matsuri(Yoi Matsuri is a night festival), "makiwarabune" straw boats float up the Kanie River, each with 12 lighted lanterns (the number of months in a year) set on it vertically and 365 lighted lanterns (the number of days in a year) set on it in a semicircle. During Asa Matsuri(Asa Matsuri is a morning festival), it is the turn of "danjiri" boats decorated with plum and cherry blossom flowers and bearing floats with dolls placed on top.
Miyoshi Bridge is raised on this day and this day alone to let the festival boats pass on their way upriver, and the sight is a real festival highlight.
- Date
- First Saturday and Sunday of August
- Inquiries
- 0567-95-1111 (Kanie Town Tourist Association)
- Access
- Sunari Shrine: 1363, Monyashiki, Oaza Sunari, Kanie-Town, Aichi
25 minutes' walk from Kanie Station on the JR Kansai Main Line. - Details
- http://www.kaninavi.jp/html/sunari/
