Otake Festival: Otake Festival Yakko Procession and Float Pageantry

About this event

The Otake Festival, held every October in the Otake district of Otake City, is traditional culture passed down, protected, and nurtured by local residents, and is designated as a City-Designated Important Cultural Property. The origin of the festival is said to date back to before the Edo period, and it gradually flourished along with economic development driven by Japanese paper (washi) production. It is said to have taken its current form around 1878. The 'Yakko Procession' consists of a total of 53 members (subject to change depending on headcount), including a total of 28 people across 7 platoons with 4 people per platoon, plus 25 caretakers and hasamibako box carriers. On the other hand, the 'Dashi Float Pageantry' features decorations based on warriors or fairy tales placed on drum carriages measuring approximately 3 meters wide and 4 meters high, pulled around by children wearing hanten coats and headbands to the accompaniment of drums and flutes. One float is presented from each of the 6 districts of former Otake Town, and approximately 100 pullers per float advance to the beat of drums and flutes. These gorgeous and large-scale processions demonstrate the economic development of Otake Town since the Meiji period, and are also valuable as traditional events and performing arts.

Venue

Eki Shrine

4-12 Motomachi, Otake, Hiroshima 739-0615