Tohoku Mystery

Photo report of the Hyakushika Grand Dance (May 4, 2026: Esashi Jinku Festival) [Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture]

The Esashi Jinku Festival, held annually on May 3rd and 4th in Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, will feature a grand performance of the folk art "Shishiodori" (deer dance), known as "Hyakushika Taigun" (Hundred Deer Grand Group), on May 4th, 2026, the second day of the festival.

Aoiwa2026.05.08

Tannaiyama Shrine | A sacred site of ancient Japanese animism, with a massive rock as its object of worship [Iwate Prefecture]

In Towa-cho, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, there is a shrine that enshrines a massive rock as its sacred object, and also worships a local pioneering deity, a practice not seen in other regions. Incidentally, the title "animism" refers to the worship of non-human beings...

Aoiwa2026.05.07

[Part 2] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | Itako Spells and Tohoku...

Examples of Itako Spells: As mentioned earlier, Itako chant various incantations, or spells, when performing shamanistic rituals such as spirit mediumship. But what exactly are these incantations like...?.

Korok with a sword2026.05.03

[Part 2] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | The Training Process and Their Techniques...

The Training Process to Become an Itako We've looked at examples of the shamanistic practices performed by Itako, but what kind of training is necessary to become an Itako? Currently, new Itako...

Korok with a sword2026.05.02

[Part 1] The World of Itako, Traditional Female Shamans of Tohoku | The Spiritual Practices of Itako...

Introduction While reverence for intangible things like "prayer" and "faith" is still valued today, in the past in Japan, these were even more closely intertwined with daily life. That...

Korok with a sword2026.05.01

Were ancient lion species found in Aomori Prefecture? Shocking research findings were published in January 2026...

"Japanese fossil tigers were actually lions." In January 2026, a shocking research finding was announced. Furthermore, the research subject was a fossil discovered at Shiriyazaki (Higashidori Village) on the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture...

NORIJUN2026.04.27

[Part 2] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate," a confederation of local lords in Dewa Province? | The Yatsudate...

Other Forces that Allied with the Mogami Eight Shields: We've looked at an overview of the Mogami Eight Shields, a coalition of local lords from Dewa Province, but these weren't the only forces that allied with Mogami Yoshimori and Date Terumune. ...

Korok with a sword2026.04.24

[Part 2] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate," a coalition of local lords in Dewa Province? | Dewa Province...

Representative Local Leaders Who Made Up the Mogami Eight Shields Now, let's take a look at the members who made up the Mogami Eight Shields. During the Tensho Mogami Rebellion, they were Yoshimori, the father of Mogami Yoshiaki, and his...

Korok with a sword2026.04.23

[Part 1] What was the "Mogami Yatsudate," a coalition of local lords in Dewa Province? | Sengoku period...

To begin with, when you think of "warlords of the Tohoku region during the Sengoku period," who comes to mind? While there are countless stories of brave and fierce generals, perhaps the first lord of the Sendai domain, Date Masamune, known as the "One-Eyed Dragon," is the one who comes to mind...

Korok with a sword2026.04.22

I tried to gather information to see if the statement "The bus comes once a day" from the movie "We're Going to Tokyo" is actually true

The hit song "Ore-ra Tokyo sa Ikuda" (We're Going to Tokyo), sung by Ikuzo Yoshi, includes the line, "The bus comes once a day." This raises the question: do buses that only come once a day actually exist...?.

Yuto Ono2026.04.17