About this event
The 'Utano Autumn Festival', a grand autumn festival of Uda with a history of over 1,000 years, is a ritual held in autumn after the harvest based on the legend that the male deity of Uda Mikumari Shrine and the female deity of Sosha Mikumari Shrine meet once a year. 'Mikumari' means water distribution (mikubari), rooted in the worship of water vital for agriculture. Centered around portable shrines (mikoshi) and accompanied by feathered spears, flower baskets, and festival drums, the procession of approximately 200 people dressed in historical costumes marches a 12 km round-trip route from Sosha Mikumari Shrine to Uda Mikumari Shrine, presenting a spectacular sight resembling a Tenpyo picture scroll. The highlight is the heroic clashing and jostling of six taikodai (drum floats) weighing over 1 ton each, where visitors will be overwhelmed by the sound of drums echoing through the shrine grounds and the fervor of the bearers.
Source website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Uda Mikumari Shrine
245 Utanofuruichiba, Uda, Nara 633-2226
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