About this event
Held in Taiwa Town, Kurokawa District, Miyagi Prefecture, the "Shimada-ame Festival" is a matchmaking festival handed down since the Edo period. Every year on December 14, an annual ritual is held to dedicate "Shimada-ame," candy craft modeled after the Shimada hairstyle (mage), to Yoshioka Hachiman Shrine. It is said that if you purchase this Shimada-ame at the shrine festival fair and offer prayers, you will be blessed with a good marriage match in the coming year. The biggest highlight of the festival is the "Shimada-ame Dedication Bridal Procession," which depicts the legend of dedicating Shimada-ame to the shrine through a magical winter bridal parade. Visitors can enjoy the post-town atmosphere along with the bride's costume change, complimentary serving of kiri-ame candy, and performances of the local folk song "Otachizake." Shimada-ame candies are priced at 2,000 yen each, limited to 1,200 pieces, and sold up to 3 pieces per person.
Source website (Japanese) ↗Venue
Taiwa Town Budo Hall
Yoshiokamachiura, Taiwa-cho, Kurokawa-gun, Miyagi 981-3621
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