[Tohoku] Strange festivals in Tohoku! ? Introducing 6 festivals that will surprise people from other prefectures

Japanese people are a festival-loving people. Festivals are held somewhere in Japan all year round.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, festivals have been restrained for the past few years, but with the lifting of movement restrictions, festivals are scheduled to be held in various locations this year.

General festivals are fun, but did you know that there is a slightly unusual festival called Kisai?

There are strange festivals all over the country, but there are also many strange festivals in the Tohoku region.

This time, we will introduce some strange festivals held in the Tohoku region.

Did you see something scary? How about going there?

Don't treat it as just a festival! The Tohoku region is full of strange festivals! ?

When you think of a festival, you may have images of stalls, fireworks, and portable shrines being paraded around.

Although such festivals are fun, there are festivals all over Japan that can hardly be called fun .

The same is true in the Tohoku region, where there are many festivals called strange festivals that people from other regions cannot understand, and they seem to become locally popular every year.

When you think of a strange festival, you imagine something frightening (Akita's Namahage can also be called a festival or a strange festival), but there are some that are heart-warming and others that can truly be called the strangest of strange festivals .

It makes you feel like you want to see something scary that you don't want to see.

What kind of festival is the strange festival?

Unique festival = a strange festival with unique customs

Generally speaking, a strange festival is a festival that is rarely seen, and there are no stalls or fireworks.

There are also parts of it that are like Shinto rituals performed secretly by local people.

There are many strange festivals all over Japan, but there is one that is said to be ``Japan's Three Great Strange Festivals.''

• Onbashira Festival (Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture)
• Namahage Saito Festival (Oga City, Akita Prefecture)
• Yoshida Fire Festival (Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi Prefecture)

If you are from Tohoku, you are familiar with Namahage, but for people from other prefectures, the existence of Namahage is completely strange.

The Onbashira Festival is a wild festival that often results in injuries every year (the most famous event is the kiotoshi, where many people climb down a hill on a large tree (onbashira)), and Yoshida's Fire Festival is a festival with more than 70 trees. It is a festival where large torches are lit, which is both fantastical and a bit scary.

6 strange festivals in the Tohoku region that you should experience at least once

Even if they are not featured in Japan's three major strange festivals, there are many strange festivals in the Tohoku region that will surprise you.

Here we will introduce strange festivals from each prefecture.

[Aomori Prefecture] Recluse

Okomori, as the name suggests, is a festival where you don't know what it's about at first glance.

Okomori is a festival that has been passed down in Ushitaki, Sai Village, Shimokita Peninsula , where local residents gather at shrines and temples late at night in the middle of winter.

"Meshi!"
"Shuru!"

It is said that it is a custom to keep eating rice and soup while screaming.

The actual details of the event are not known to anyone other than the villagers in Sai Village or the Ushitaki area .

Even though it's a strange festival that I'm interested in, it doesn't seem like it would be easy to participate in it.

Reference: Entire Aomori (Recluse Night)

[Iwate Prefecture] Awashima Konsei Magwai Festival

It's a festival with an indescribable sound, but in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, the ``Awashima Konsei Magwai Festival,'' which is held every year in late July.

It is said to be a strange festival that represents Iwate Prefecture, but in the hot summer sun, a female temple deity and a male temple deity perform a harrow ceremony in the Nakatsugawa River. We pray for a rich harvest and the prosperity of descendants.

If I just cut out this part and explain it, it's indescribable, and children shouldn't watch it! It sounds like a similar image, but what does it actually do? It will be a festival that even adults will be interested in.

a strange festival that has been passed down since ancient times , so if you are interested, why not check it out?

Reference: Festival day (Awashima Konsei Magwai Festival)

[Akita Prefecture] Tojin Gyoji (Tojin Gyoji)

The ``Tojin Event'' is introduced as a strange festival in Akita Prefecture .

It's hard to imagine what the event is about just by looking at the name, but although the main festival is held on July 7th, the entire festival takes place over a year.

The scale of the festival is different.

It is a festival that combines the story of the ``slaying of the eight-pronged serpent'' with water god beliefs passed down among farmers and fishermen around Hachirogata, and is shared between Tenno Town and Oga City.

a festival that takes place over a year , and you won't see it anywhere else (although there's a lot of time in a year, including the preparations), and you'll be able to get a feel for the extraordinary passion of the local residents.

Reference: Oganavi (Tojin Event)

[Miyagi Prefecture] Yonekawa water cover

The Yonekawa Water Festival is a fire festival held in Yonekawa, Towa Town, Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture, and is held on Hatsuuma Day in February every year.

Only men in the area are allowed to participate in this event, and they wear costumes made of straw called Mizukage over their naked bodies, and their faces are coated with charcoal. ) is an event to pray for .

The reason why this event is such a strange festival is that people parade around while pouring water on the houses and roofs along the road, and it is said that if it is held on a day other than Hatsuuma Day, it will not serve as a protection against fire and will cause a fire. Masu.

Be sure to take a look at the ``Yonekawa Mizukaburi'', which is registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Reference: Tome City (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage “Mizukaburi of the Yone River”)

[Yamagata Prefecture] Human Shogi

An unusual festival in Yamagata Prefecture that we would like to introduce is the Tendo Cherry Blossom Festival - Human Shogi, which .

Human Shogi is already known as a major festival, but if you think about it, the idea of ​​playing Shogi with humans as pieces is amazing.

The sight of warriors and kimonos dressed in armor and kimono playing as pawns under the direction of famous professional shogi players is nothing short of spectacular.

Reference: web sightseeing Tendo (68th Tendo Cherry Blossom Festival)

[Fukushima Prefecture] Takahata Tenmangu Shrine Usokae Festival

In Fukushima Prefecture, there is a strange festival called "Usokae Festival"

This festival is held in connection with a legend that a long time ago, when a visitor to Takahata Tenmangu Shrine was attacked by a bee, the bird Uso was able to slay it.

It is held during the Small New Year period in January and in April, and people buy carved wooden ``Usodori'' which are good luck charms.

It is known as a festival that many people visit because it is believed that the disasters and misfortunes that will occur this year will be turned into lies and replaced with good things

Reference: Nishine Shrine/Takahata Tenmangu Shrine (about Usokae Festival)

Summary｜Let's go see the strange festival and feel the people's feelings that are put into it!

We introduced the strange festivals held in the Tohoku region.

The strange festival is an important event for the people living in the area, and it is a festival that will continue to be passed down from generation to generation.

When we hear of strange festivals, we only think of the impact, but it is also necessary to understand the thoughts of our predecessors and those who carry on these strange festivals.

There are many festivals that are easy to participate in, as well as festivals that are difficult to participate in, but if you have the chance, why not go and see some of the unique festivals?