Watermelon Festival (Suika Matsuri)

About this event

The 'Watermelon Festival' held in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, is known as the autumn annual festival of Uhashi Shrine. It was originally written as the 'Water and Fire Festival' (Mizuhimatsuri), a Shinto ritual expressing gratitude to water and fire as the sources of life and praying for protection against wind, flood, and fire disasters. In typical years, rituals such as the Sacred Water Ritual and the Stone-Lifting Ritual (Banchi-shinji) are conducted, and talismans of water and fire are distributed. It is famous for the Hikiyama Children's Kabuki and bustles with specialty rituals such as children's sumo wrestling and the stone-lifting competition. There is also a story that dozens of watermelon stalls used to remain open all night in the old days.

Venue

Uhashi Shrine (Osuwa-san)

I-233 Hamadamachi, Komatsu, Ishikawa 923-0907