Moriyama Shrine Annual Grand Festival

About this event

The annual grand festival held at Moriyama Shrine (Moriyama-sha), enshrined in Isshiki, Hayama Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, is an important ritual where regional tradition and faith come alive. The shrine, whose official name is Moriyama-sha, is said to have been founded during the Tempyo-Shoho era (749–757) and enshrines Kushinadahime-no-Mikoto as its deity. During the annual grand festival, the nationally rare 'Yobakari Shinji' ritual is performed to pray for abundant harvests. Beginning with the 'Omizutori' ritual of the previous year, this ritual takes a full year to divine the crop yield, deeply rooting itself in the lives of local residents. In the mikoshi togyo (portable shrine procession) that marks the climax of the festival, the historic Sokaren mikoshi parades through the town accompanied by kiyari songs and festival music. In addition, the dedicatory entertainment hosted on the Isshiki Kaikan stage and the Moriyama Shrine tiered platform is always a lively affair, featuring traditional Hayama performing arts such as the Hyottoko dance. Over the eve and the main festival days, local residents and participants come together to enliven the festival.

Venue

Moriyama Shrine

2165 Isshiki, Hayama, Miura District, Kanagawa 240-0111