Araya Sumiyoshi Shrine Autumn Festival

About this event

An annual autumn festival held at Araya Sumiyoshi Shrine in Nyuzen Town, Toyama Prefecture. At this festival, a contest of physical strength takes place where participants challenge the 'Banmochi of the Sacred Stones' using a 135 kg blue stone (commonly known as Game) and a 117 kg granite stone. Although stone-plate lifting was once held throughout the prefecture, the tradition is still preserved in this area today. According to legend, it originated when sacred stones thrown into a pond to protect the town from the flames of Kenshin Uesugi's war were retrieved and used as stones to test strength. The festival features events such as children's straw-bale lifting, a Banmochi contest, Araya Sumiyoshi Taiko drumming, and a Bon Odori dance competition, bringing the local community together in high spirits. Registration for the Banmochi contest is accepted on the shrine grounds on the day of the event.

Venue

Sumiyoshi Shrine

887 Araya, Nyuzen-machi, Shimoniikawa-gun, Toyama 939-0637