Kazusa Twelve Shrines Festival

About this event

The "Kazusa Twelve Shrines Festival (Kazusa Junisha Matsuri)" is a joint annual festival rooted in Shinto shrine traditions across Ichinomiya Town, Mutsuzawa Town, Chosei Village, Mobara City, and Isumi City in Chiba Prefecture. Boasting about 1,200 years of history, it is also known as the "Kazusa Naked Festival" due to mikoshi bearers wearing minimal attire, and is registered as a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Events take place in various locations starting September 8, with the "Mikoshi Procession to Tsurigasaki Coast" on September 13 serving as a major highlight as "Boso's oldest beach-descent ritual." This gathering festival brings together Tamayori-hime, the mother of Japan's first Emperor Jimmu, and her family deities, centered around Tamasaki Shrine (where Tamayori-hime is enshrined) along with other shrines enshrining her family. Originating from the legend that Tamayori-hime landed on Tsurigasaki Coast, purified her divine body in Kamiarai Pond, and developed the Boso region based in Ichinomiya Town, mikoshi from each shrine gather at this "land of beginnings" on festival day.

Venue

Unoha Shrine

831 Iwai, Mutsuzawa-machi, Chosei-gun, Chiba 299-4412