About this event
This is a grand spring festival held at Niutsuhime Shrine in Katsuragi Town. Celebrating the end of the long winter and the arrival of spring, this festival involves offering seasonal flowers to the enshrined deities and placing them in bamboo tubes to decorate the shrine approach. During the morning ceremony, the doors of the main sanctuary (Honden) are opened, Shinto prayers (Norito) are recited, and local children dedicate a sacred dance called "Urayasu no Mai." The afternoon "Togyo no Gi" procession features a portable shrine (Mikoshi) parade moving through the village of Amano in full spring bloom, which the general public can also join. The day also features open-air tea ceremonies (Nodate) and Bugaku dance performances, making it a traditional festival where the entire village gathers to celebrate. Once the Hanamori Festival ends, the Amano village becomes busy preparing for rice planting, making this festival a cherished time of rest before agricultural work begins.
Official website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Niutsuhime Shrine
230 Kamiamano, Katsuragi-cho, Ito-gun, Wakayama 649-7141
Open in Google Maps ↗