Iwamura Autumn Festival "Mikoshi Procession"

About this event

The "Iwamura Autumn Festival Mikoshi Procession," held in Iwamura-cho, Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, is a festival of Hachiman Shrine and Takenami Shrine, celebrating bountiful harvests, household safety, and peace. Carrying the sacred object of Kagetomo—the son of Kagemasa Kato who built Iwamura Castle—on a portable shrine (mikoshi), about 300 people dressed in period costumes form a 300-meter-long procession and depart from Takenami Shrine. They parade along approximately 1.7 km of Iwamura Honmachi Street (an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings) and carry the mikoshi to Hachiman Shrine where Kagemasa is enshrined. The mikoshi spends one night with Kagemasa, and on the following day, returns to Takenami Shrine via the procession once again. The roles and content of the procession conform to the "Takenami Shrine Festival Regulations" of 1852 (Kaei 5), carrying on the tradition. There is also a history where the feudal lord once viewed the procession from his residence and sacred sake was served, recalling the customs of that era. In case of rain, the mikoshi procession will be cancelled.

Venue

Takenami Shrine

2287-1 Iwamura-cho, Ena, Gifu 509-7403