Reiwa 8 Winter Crossing Festival (Fuyu Watari-sai)

About this event

This is an evening festival at Futarasan Shrine that marks the end of the year and the close of the New Year season for the citizens of Utsunomiya. The origin of the festival is said to date back as early as 838, when the sacred object of Futarasan Shrine was returned from Araozaki, where the lower shrine was located, to Usugamine (the present shrine building site). Since the ritual of returning the deity to a shrine is generally conducted in the dead of night, and was held at night at Futarasan Shrine as well, it came to be known as "Watariya" (Crossing Night), which is said to have later become corrupted into "Otariya". Later, it also became known as a festival for fire prevention out of gratitude for divine favor and the blessing of avoiding fire damage since the early Edo period. The festival is thought to have been held twice, on December 15 and January 15; December is written as "Winter Crossing Festival" (Fuyu Watari-sai) and January as "Spring Crossing Festival" (Haru Watari-sai), with both being called "Otariya". On the day of Otariya, a late-night mikoshi (portable shrine) procession takes place, and Dengaku dance, designated as a cultural property by Utsunomiya City, is dedicated. At the bonfire site set up on the east side of Futarasan Shrine's main hall, an "otakiage" ritual is held; old talismans and lucky charms such as Daruma dolls are burned in December, while New Year decorations are burned in January. Exposure to this smoke is said to bring blessings such as family safety, good health, and fire prevention, attracting many worshippers from both within the city and surrounding areas until late at night.

Venue

Utsunomiya Futarasan Shrine

1-1-1 Babadori, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 320-0026