Omiwa Shrine Brewing Safety Prayer Festival (Sake Festival)

About this event

A prayer festival held every year on November 14 at Omiwa Shrine in Sakurai City, which enshrines the god of sake brewing. Sake brewers and master brewers (toji) from across the country attend to pray for safe brewing of the year's new sake. During the ceremony, four shrine maidens (miko) hold cedar branches and perform the kagura dance "Umazake Miwa no Mai." The large cedar ball (sugidama) hanging in the worship hall (haiden) is replaced with a fresh one on the previous day, November 13. It is suitable for those who wish to observe up close the shrine event said to be the origin of the sugidama hung under the eaves of sake breweries. Highlights of the ritual include sake brewers and toji nationwide gathering to pray for safe new sake brewing. In addition, visitors can watch four miko perform the kagura dance "Umazake Miwa no Mai" holding cedar, and see the newly hung large sugidama in the haiden (the sugidama is a symbol of the god of sake).

Venue

Omiwa Shrine Haiden (Worship Hall)

1182-6 Miwa, Sakurai, Nara 633-0001