Ota Festival

About this event

The Ota Festival is a traditional festival held every year on the first Sunday of October and the preceding day as the annual festival of Omiya Shrine. Its origin dates back to the time when Ota Town was called Osato Village, when kasaboko (decorated umbrella floats) were dedicated to pray for good health and bountiful harvests. The biggest highlight of the festival is the powerful performances by the four dashi floats from the Arako-gumi, Kuroguchi-gumi, Ichiba-gumi, and Sato-gumi groups. In particular, the 'Donden,' where floats compete in elegance while turning, and the 'Yowaki Donden,' where all four floats rotate simultaneously, are truly breathtaking. Furthermore, the performances of the 'Karakuri Ningyo' (mechanical puppets) decorating the floats are not to be missed. The float of the Ichiba-gumi features the 'Dance of Karakuri Puppet Ogorako,' in which a Kogarako puppet stands on its hands upon the shoulder while holding kagura bells and ringing them to the rhythm of festival music. The Sato-gumi float features a character-writing puppet mechanism, showcasing a Karako writing characters on a plaque hanging in front. These traditional float events captivate visitors and further elevate the festival's festive excitement.

Venue

Omiya Shrine

138 Kamihamada, Otamachi, Tokai, Aichi 477-0031