Hayanaga Hachimangu Shrine Autumn Festival

About this event

The Hayanaga Hachimangu Autumn Festival is a traditional event in Murozumi, Hikari City, with a history spanning over 350 years dating back to the early Edo period. Chanting "Enya! Enya!", young men dressed in matching happi coats and white koshimaki (waistcloths) pull dashi (floats) and odoriyama (stage floats) through the streets in a vigorous festival while singing local "Kiyari-uta" work songs. The 10 dashi floats and 1 odoriyama float were designated as Hikari City Tangible Folk Cultural Properties in 1981 (Showa 56), and the float procession history and float introductions are known as "Murozumi Enya." Led by a float carrying a large banner, black pine, and sake barrels, floats modeled after torii gates, stone lanterns, komainu guardian dogs, zuishin warrior guardians, mirrors, and offering boats follow in succession, with the entire procession forming the shape and layout of a shrine. Such float processions are rare nationwide today and are considered valuable as they retain the original form of float processions. Upon arriving at the otabisho (temporary resting station), the small floats are arranged, causing a shrine to appear for just a few hours where Shinto rituals are performed. Local children, who are treasures of the community, ride on the floats as they run.

Venue

Hayanaga Hachimangu Shrine

3-4-1 Murozumi, Hikari, Yamaguchi 743-0007