Hanawa Matsuri Festival and its Yatai Float Ritual
19-20 August, Kazuno (Akita prefecture)
This is the annual festival of two shrines in the town of Hanawa, Saiwai Inari Shrine and Hanawa Shinmeisha Shrine, and 10 Yatai floats which are from each area parade around the town.
The parade of floats is held several times from the Otabisho-zume ritual on the evening of 19 August to the Akatorii-zume on the midnight of 20 August. While the floats parade, Honbayashi traditional songs are played, and people offer their favorite Hayashi songs to the shrine on the early morning of 20 August.
The Yatai floats are called “Koshinuke” in the local tongue, which means “not having the floor”, so the drummers riding on the floats need to walk while playing during the parade. The parade is run by the local young men’s group, whose roles are assigned according to age. There are several side rituals in the parade such as Cho-zakai (the ritual for walking through another area), and Sansa (the ritual held in each step of the parade).
- Organizer:
- Hanawa Bayashi Saiten Iinkai
- Contact Details
- 〒018-5201
- Akita Kazuno Hanawa Azanaka Hanawa 29
- Hanawa Bayashi Saiten Iinkai
- TEL：0186-22-6088
- Website
- Hanawabayashi Offical site
- http://hanawabayashi.jp/
- Regarding photos
- Hanawabayashi Guide
- http://hanawabayashi.com/
