Ebisu-ko (Kiryu Nishinomiya Grand Festival)

About this event

The Kiryu Nishinomiya Grand Festival (Ebisu-ko) is a traditional festival held every year on November 19 and 20 to pray for business prosperity and family safety. During this time, the surrounding roads leading to Nishinomiya Shrine are lined with numerous stalls selling lucky charms such as Otakara (treasure ships) and Kumade (rakes), bustling with many visitors. The approach is filled with so much energy that it is difficult to even walk, making it an iconic late-autumn tradition in Kiryu. Additionally, the 'Lucky Man Selection Ritual' (Fukuotoko Erabi Shinji) is held in conjunction with the festival, where worshippers sprinting toward the main shrine hall is one of the highlights. In this ritual, men and women of high school age and older participate, sprinting a distance of about 230 meters to the main hall. Furthermore, the 'Chibi-fuku / Waka-fuku' race for elementary school students is also held, with children dashing up the stone steps. This festival is an important annual community event held at Kiryu Nishinomiya Shrine, a prestigious shrine permitted to call itself 'Kanto Issha' as the only direct branch in the Kanto region from the head shrine in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.

Venue

Kiryu Nishinomiya Shrine

2-1-3 Miyamotocho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-0056