Kanuma Autumn Festival

About this event

The Kanuma Autumn Festival is a festival float event of the Kanuma Imamiya Shrine Festival, inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. As the autumn grand festival of Imamiya Shrine, festival musicians ride atop ornately carved wooden floats owned by the parish neighborhoods, pulling them through the town accompanied by vigorous, lively festival music. On the first day, carved floats from each town parade into Imamiya Shrine for sacred rituals. From the evening, lanterns are lit as they depart the shrine, and along the way back to their home neighborhoods, "buttsuke"—a spirited musical battle among the float bands—is performed. On the second day, a citizen parade by various groups in the city takes place, and traditional city performing arts are presented across various venue locations. In the latter half, during the "soroibiki," which can be described as an exhibition of carved floats, spectators can enjoy watching floats arrive one after another while remaining in place. In addition, the "buttsuke" musical battles are held in various locations just like on the first day, raising the young men's excitement to its peak. A heroic, elegant, and gorgeous historical pageant with 400 years of history woven by lavish carved floats will unfold.

Venue

Imamiya Shrine

1692 Imamiyacho, Kanuma, Tochigi 322-0068