Horuha-do New Year's Eve Festival

About this event

A traditional New Year's Eve festival held every year on December 4 at Sengen-ji Horuha-do in Kubota-machi, Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture. This festival originates from gratitude for an event in 1641, when pests damaged crops in the region, and scattering sand from under the veranda of Horuha-do caused the insects to disperse. It is said that the festival began when villagers pounded mochi from harvested rice and offered it to the hall. The center of the festival is the "Naked Mochi Pounding" held starting before dawn. Young parishioners pound mochi semi-nude, tossing and thrusting the mochi high enough to reach the ceiling in rhythm with mochi-pounding songs. The spectacle where the songs, movements, and gestures of lifting the mochi high become one is a highlight. Mochi marked with soot from the ceiling is believed to bring divine blessings, and various mochi dishes are served to visitors. In addition to watching the mochi pounding, tasting the festival's star mochi prepared in various dishes is one of the pleasures. You can plan your visit more smoothly by contacting Sengen-ji Horuha-do directly regarding exact times for the early morning events and the serving times for mochi dishes.

Venue

Sengen-ji Temple

1861 Kubotamachi Kubota, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-0003