Higashino Shrine Ritual: Yohohoi Festival

About this event

The "Yohohoi Festival" is one of the Shinto rituals during the annual festival (October) of Higashino Shrine in Higashino-cho, Konan City. A traditional event takes place where a decorated horse carrying a Karako doll is paraded through the town. Participants in charge of the annual event form a procession in front of and behind the decorated horse, wearing woven straw hats and holding folding fans to their mouths while singing and dedicating celebratory songs for a bountiful harvest (Yohohoi songs). The origins of this festival are said to date back to an old tale in which grains for Ise Jingu were collected from neighboring villages into Higashino Village during years of abundance, loaded onto packhorses for dedication, and seen off by villagers singing celebratory songs of harvest. It is said to date back to the Tenbun era (1532-1555). Although it was temporarily suspended due to traffic conditions, the Yohohoi songs and procession were revived in 2009 by the Higashino Shrine Hosankai and the Yohohoi Festival Preservation Society, and continue to be passed down as a ritual of Higashino Shrine.

Venue

Higashino Shrine

68 Kawahara, Higashino-cho, Konan, Aichi 483-8426