Festival

Donto Festival: A traditional New Year's event [Miyagi Prefecture]

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When the loud bang of bamboo bursting in the flames echoes through the temple grounds, the people of Miyagi Prefecture are reminded that a new year has begun

known as the Donto Festival , is packed with worshippers dressed in winter gear and groups of people trotting naked

What is Donto Festival?

Donto Matsuri is a general term for festivals held throughout the Tohoku region, mainly in Miyagi Prefecture, and a traditional New Year's event in which . In western Japan, a similar Shinto ritual called "Sagicho" is well known.

Every year, New Year's decorations such as Kadomatsu and pine decorations that have been brought by the evening of January 14th are lit by the "Ibibi" (forbidden fire). This flame is considered a "sacred fire" that sends off the gods who have visited each household, and it is said that by being exposed to this sacred fire, one can be blessed with good health, safety for the home, and prosperity in business for the year

There are various theories about the origin of this unusual name, including that it is a corrupted version of the word "toto" (revered) or that it comes from the "don" (thud) that sounds when bamboo explodes, but the most common explanation is that it comes from the Japanese word "dondon-yaki" (grilling)

The definition of the event is also somewhat vague depending on the region where it is held

First of all, the name. In Miyagi Prefecture it is called Donto Festival, but depending on the region it is called something like "Donto Yaki" or "Dondo Yaki"

The dates for these festivals vary, with one held on January 7th in Ishinomaki by the New Life Movement, which advocates the "establishment of rational democratic lifestyle practices," one held on January 15th at Morioka Hachiman Shrine in Iwate Prefecture, and one held for several days at Nishine Shrine in Fukushima Prefecture in conjunction with the "Uso Kae Festival."

Furthermore, since it is a religious ceremony, it is generally held at a shrine rather than a temple, but it is also held at Joki Nyorai and Sendai Daikannon. The reason for this vague definition is likely due to the history of the Donto Festival being popular among local residents

Osaki Hachiman Shrine's Matsutaki Festival

Pine Taki Festival

Donto festivals are held all over the prefecture.
The largest of these is the Matsutaki Festival at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine. With a history of 300 years, it attracts over 100,000 visitors every year. In 2005, it was designated an intangible folk cultural property of Sendai City

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Osaki Hachiman Shrine, the main shrine of Sendai and a national treasure, famous for the naked pilgrimage at the Donto Festival (Miyagi Prefecture)
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/204
Osaki Hachimangu Shrine is located in the western part of Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, along Prefectural Route 31 (Sendai-Murata Line) in Yahata, Aoba Ward, Sendai City, a designated city. Formerly a village shrine, it enshrines Emperor Ojin, Emperor Chuai, and Empress Jingu as its deities. It is also famous for its Matsutaki Festival (Donto Festival). https://jp.neft.asia/archives/1116 The shrine's Momoyama architecture, designated a National Treasure, is a testament to the shrine's history. While the exact founding date of Osaki Hachimangu Shrine is unknown, it is believed that during the Heian period, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who was entrusted by the Imperial Court with the task of conquering the Emishi in the Tohoku region, enshrined the war god Hachiman from Usa Shrine in present-day Oita Prefecture and became the leader of the Emishi political party...
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One of its distinctive features is the "hadaka pilgrimage ." Naked pilgrims come from all over the city, dressed only in a robe covering their stomachs and a sacred rope tied around their waists.
Wearing tabi socks and straw sandals, they carry a bell in their right hand and a lantern in their left, and set off on foot for the sacred fire several kilometers away. They hold paper in their mouths to prevent breathing on the gods, making this a solemn event that lacks the bravery of a summer festival.

It is said that the festival originated when a Sendai sake brewer started it to pray for safe brewing and ginjo production, but it is said to have become established by the mid-Edo period. Today, it is a winter tradition in Sendai, with around 3,000 people visiting the festival and can be seen on the pedestrian deck and Chuo Dori

Osaki Hachiman Shrine's Matsutaki Festival <Information>

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