Floor Guide
Bar
Relocation Support
Tourist Information
For Business Owners
Access
Contact Us
投稿日：
更新日：
"Nozawa Onsen Doso Shinto Festival" dyes the night sky red
The Nozawa Onsen Doso Shinto Festival is held every year on January 15th in a small village with a population of about 3,600, known as the birthplace of Nozawana. It has been designated as a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and in recent years it is one of Japan's leading fire festivals, visited by many foreigners.
The climax of fire is reached over the shrine building, which is made of a beech sacred wood of about 20 meters, and the shrine building and the first lantern burn out. This festival, which unfolds with overwhelming power and is also known as a strange festival, was a tradition of building people supporting the village.
Friends created by pride in the traditional fire festival
After the Sanyaku lecture, he becomes stronger and realizes himself as a "Nozawa man"
NorthShinshuThere are still several festivals in which fire attacks and defenses are carried out today, but Nozawa Onsen's scale is unique and can be counted as one of Japan's three major fire festivals.
The main characters of the festival are 25-year-old men who are in their unlucky years, just like the men called Sanyako, who are in their unlucky years, composed of the 3rd generation of 41 and 40 years, starting with the 42 years old. Sanyako in particular plays an important role in holding the festival for three years with the same group. This began with the cutting of sacred trees at the shrine, and almost everything about the festival. He apparently experiences this and becomes strongly aware of his "nozawa man."
The most important aspects of preparation are the shrine building and the Doso Shinto. At the end of November, when I interviewed him, Dosojin was produced by men aged 42 and 41.
"This is the first time we've run the festival with the current three-night lecture, and we're 42 years old, the main focus. So this time, it's really special. I feel the weight of inheriting the tradition, such as whether the shrine building can be organized beautifully or whether it will be completed safely on the day," says Tomii, the general manager.
Summary of the 42-Year-Old Unlucky Years, Tomii Yoshiyuki
Born in Nozawa Onsen Village. He experienced offense and defense in his 25-year-old unlucky year, and this time he was in charge of the work and preparations for the entire festival as a 42-year-old unlucky year. "My son, who is in the fourth grade, puts out lanterns as a grader," he said, adding that he was a father.
Bonds with the villagers
Only after experiencing the Doso God Festival will you become a full-fledged adult
The biggest highlight of the festival is the fierce fire attack, as a 25-year-old man in his unlucky years protects the shrine from the flames of villagers' torches with pine branches. You can feel the spirit of a serious fight.
"I've heard that my hair has burned, but only after I get over it will be recognized as a full-fledged adult. I've always admired my seniors since I was little, so I'm looking forward to seeing them," says Kobayashi, the 25-year-old representative.
Meanwhile, Sugiyama, 42, who serves as Chairman of the Dosojin Committee, said, "When I was 25, I was so enthralled and impressed that I had done it all, but I realized from my current position that all of the seniors had set up the stage. So now we have to give that feeling a touch of comfort."
The Doso God Festival, which attracts attention from around the world due to its bravery, is a tradition that is woven by hoping for happiness in the village, and strengthening bonds not only with friends but also with villagers, fostering pride in their hometown, and people who carry the village on their shoulders.
Kobayashi Fumiya
He serves as the representative of the 25-year-old unlucky year. Of course, many classmates take time off from work to go home to prepare, not only on the day.
ShinshuWinter Festival &ShinshuNew Year's lucky charm
[Obuse's Yasu City]
Obuse's biggest festival is held throughout the town. It is said to be the place of Rokusai City, which began in the Edo period, and is bustling with daruma and lucky charm markets. The "Fire-walking Shinto ritual" on the 15th was Yasu City's biggest highlight. Shugenists and mayors cross the fire one after another. The public is also welcome to try it out. If we can destroy our hearts in the New Year, a good year will surely await you.
January 14th and 15th (the same day every year)
Imperial Shrine
Obuse Town Chamber of Commerce (026-247-2028)
[Oami Fire Festival]
This festival is where we pray to the god of Amashiyama, thanking the bounty of nature and wishing this year will be a good year. The highlight is the fantastic dance of shrine maidens welcoming the gods and the brave dances of loincloth dressed as demons of gods dressed as god-angel demons, hoping for a great harvest in a space where bonfires are lit in the silver world. It's still a very cold season, just after the beginning of spring, but the vibrant flames of torches heat up the entire venue.
The second Saturday of February (February 11th, 2017)
Amidagahara Venue, Oami District
Otani Village Tourism Federation (0261-82-2233)
[Ashinoshi's Dosojin Festival]
Nagano City
1998 Nagano Dosojin is also known for appearing at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. It is also known as the "Divine Decoration Doso Shinto Festival" because it uses the shimenawa brought from each door to create the faces (divine faces) and offerings of Doso Shinto, and a unique face is created every year. A large amount of dondo grilling is done in the evening, and it is said that if you grill and eat rice cakes over the embers, you can spend a year without any health.
◇January 7th (held on the same day every year)/Nagano CityOoka Branch Office 026-266-2121
[Shinano Kokubunji Yokkado Festival]
Ueda City
Shinano Kokubunji Temple is home to beautiful three-story pagodas (Korea Scriptures) that are blended with Japanese and Chinese tyrannical elements. During the Yokkado Festival, goma memorial services and prayers will be held at the main hall, and the "Sumin Future True" amulets to eliminate blessings and Fukudaruma City will also be held. The Sumin Future Complex, which has a history of over 500 years, will be released from around noon on the 7th, and from 8am on the 8th, Sumin Future Complex, featuring the Seven Lucky Gods, will be distributed, and from 8am on the 8th, a painting by Sumin Ko, depicting the Seven Lucky Gods, will be crowded with many worshippers from early in the morning.
◇January 7th and 8th (held on the same day every year) / Shinano Kokubunji 0268-24-1388
[Matsumoto Ame City]
Ueda City
It originated from the story that Uesugi Kenshin sent salt to his enemy Takeda Shingen, and was said to have begun to celebrate the day that salt arrived in Matsumoto, and was a traditional event known as "Shio City." In the central city, a variety of events are held, including a period line where the Seven Lucky Gods join, a nationwide candy exposition and sale, a salt-sales battle, and children's lucky daruma-sold selling, making it a lively New Year's event.
◇Early January (January 7th and 8th, 2017) / Matsumoto Ame City Executive Committee Secretariat (Honmachi Shopping Street Promotion Association) 0263-36-1121
[Ninno Snow Festival]
Anan Town
A festival where snow is used as a lucky sign to pray for a great harvest. From the night of January 14th to the next morning, dances, which can be said to be the origin of traditional Japanese performing arts such as dengaku and bushasa, will be performed all night at the grounds of Izu Shrine. It is described as "sleepy, smokey, cold," as it is performed from the extremely cold midnight until the morning, while lit torches in a flurry of torches, but its charm that surpasses that attracts many people.
◇January 14th and 15th (held on the same day every year) / Anan Town Promotion Division 0260-22-4055
[Otaya Festival]
Nagawacho
It is said that this was the annual festival at Toyokei Ojingu Shrine in Furumachi, Nagawa-cho, and was called this way because it was a festival at Ise-sha, home to Taya. The festival's specialty is the doll-like floats dedicated to the grounds and five alleys in the town. The five preservation society creates elaborate designs each year, with themes such as folk tales, history, zodiac signs, and social events.
◇January 14th and 15th (held on the same day every year) / Nagawa Town Industrial Promotion Division 0268-75-2047
[Hahiro's Lion Dance]
Ina City
A traditional event for the Little New Year with a history of approximately 400 years. The dance between two male lions with their mouths closed and female lions with their mouths open is said to be rare nationwide, and it is unique in that the male and female lions each match different music. After the offering at Chusenji Temple in Hahiro Ward, the male and female lions will be divided into north and south from the temple, and will be around the houses in the ward, performing dances with wishes such as good health and so on.
◇The Sunday closest to January 15th every year (January 15th, 2017) / Ina City Tourism Association 0265-78-4111 (representative)
