Warai-ko (Laughter Ritual)

About this event

Believed to have originated in the Kamakura period, the Shinto ritual "Warai-ko" of the Daido Kobata district is a traditional ceremony rare even nationwide, where ritual participants clad in montsuki hakama hold sakaki branches and laugh together three times with loud shouts of "Wah-hah-hah!" This ritual is conducted to give thanks for this year's bountiful harvest, pray for next year's crop, and cast away the year's hardships and sorrows. With its unique style and profound meaning, it attracts attention as a valuable cultural experience deeply rooted in the local community.

Venue

Kobata Hachiman Shrine

1143 Daido, Hofu, Yamaguchi 747-1232