Shiga News – by Philbert Ono Rotating Header Image

Festivals

Setsubun at Taga Taisha Shrine

Jan 27th, 2012
by philbert.
No comments yet

Ogre dancers at Taga Taisha Setsubun. Click image to see more photos.

February 3 is the Setsubun Festival at many temples and shrines in Japan. It marks the beginning of spring according to the lunar calendar. They yell, “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (鬼は外! 福は内!) while they throw beans at ogre to eliminate the evil (oni) of the previous year and bring in good fortune (fuku).

In Shiga Prefecture, the most impressive Setsubun festival is held at Taga Taisha Shrine in Taga town. They have impressive ogre (called oni in Japanese) dancers from Shimane Prefecture to act as the demons to chase away during the festival. The bean-throwing is called mame-maki. They will hold two mame-maki sessions on Feb. 3, at 11 am and 2 pm. Expect a large crowd.

It starts with a ceremony in the shrine’s worship hall. Then a dramatic performance by the ogre on stage where they are chased away by priests throwing beans at them. The main event is when over a hundred people born in the year of the dragon begin to throw soybeans and mochi to the crowd. The soybeans are thrown in little paper bags, so you can still pick them up and eat them even if they fall to the ground. But the mochi are hard as a rock, so watch out. The bean-throwing is fun, but potentially dangerous with beans or mochi hitting your face/head and people pushing you around. Taking pictures is pretty risky as well. One mochi even hit my camera lens. Fortunately, no damage. You should always look up and see where the mochi and beans are flying.

Taga Taisha is near Taga Taisha-mae Station on the Ohmi Railways Taga Line. Google Map here.

Mame-maki at Taga Taisha.

Taga Taisha Setsubun official Website: http://www.tagataisya.or.jp/info/setubun/index2.html
More photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=727

 

Email

More GW festival videos

May 17th, 2011
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

Two more Golden Week (late April – early May) festival videos and photos.

Held on May 4 near Notogawa Station, the Iba-no-saka-kudashi Matsuri Festival is said to be one of the most unusual festivals. Young men carry (or drag) three heavy portable shrines down a steep mountain riddled with rough spots. I stayed near the bottom or finish line and declined to go up any further because I was too heavy with camera equipment and the slope was too steep. Here’s the video:

Photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=829

Another festival I saw was at Namura Shrine in Ryuo on May 5, 2011. The Sekku Matsuri is a prayer for the healthy growth of children and rich harvest. The highlight is the yabusame horseback archery.

Photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=461

Email

Hino Matsuri 2011

May 16th, 2011
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

On May 3, 2011, Hino in eastern Shiga held its annual Hino Matsuri festival. This is a major festival of floats with sixteen ornate floats and three portable shrines paraded through the main streets and gathered at Umamioka Watamuki Shrine. This was the second time I saw this matsuri, but the first time I filmed it with a Full HD camcorder. Here’s the video:

Photos coming soon.

Email

Aburahi Matsuri Festival 2011

May 2nd, 2011
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

On May 1, 2011, I went to see the Aburahi Matsuri (油日祭り・奴振り) in Koka, Shiga, near Aburahi Station on the JR Kusatsu Line. The festival is held every year, but the yakko-furi procession is held only once every five years. And it was held this year. They walked along a 9-km route in Aburahi. The performance at Aburahi Shrine was the highlight. Here’s the video I took:

Photos here.

Email

Shiga’s biggest fire festival

Apr 17th, 2011
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post


The Hachiman Matsuri in Omi-Hachiman is held annually on April 14-15. I saw it for the first time on April 14, 2011 when they set fire to giant torches near Himure Hachimangu Shrine. Very impressive festival.

On April 15, they have taiko drum processions. But due to the Tohoku disaster this year, the taiko drums did not appear. So I didn’t bother to see the festival on the 15th. Maybe next year.

Photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/index.php?cat=11

Email

Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri canceled

Apr 2nd, 2011
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

The Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri Festival is canceled for 2011.

Many festivals (matsuri) in Japan are being canceled or scaled back in consideration of the Tohoku disaster. It’s unfortunate since spring is prime time for festivals.

The Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri festival scheduled for April 23-24, 2011 has been canceled. It’s too bad since it’s a nice festival highlighted by a parade of women in kimono and men in samurai costume.

I hope cancellation of matsuri will be minimal. Of course, we all feel sad about what happened in Tohoku, but cancelling these events where we can get together and relieve stress makes it more demoralizing and somber. Look at the TV stations, they continue to broadcast comedy shows.

Omi-Hachiman’s Sagicho Matsuri was held as scheduled in March even after the Tohoku disaster, albeit with less revelry. For those who had worked meticulously for months on their sagicho floats, cancelling the festival would make it a great waste.

Kusatsu Shukuba Matsuri official Web site here.

Email

Biwako Basho sumo held in Otsu

Oct 28th, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

Biwako Basho poster

Only two years after the Maibara Basho sumo exhibition tournament was held in Oct. 2008, grand sumo came to Shiga again during Oct. 24-25, 2010. It was to mark the 40th anniversary of the Shiga Prefectural Gymnasium (滋賀県立体育館) in Otsu where the basho was held.

Yokozuna Hakuho, on a winning streak of 62 consecutive wins, and the rest of the top sumo wrestlers and staff totaling about about 270 were on hand to entertain about 2,700 spectators each day. Ticket prices ranged from 13,000 to 2,000 yen.

The day’s activities started at 8 am and included the usual program at sumo exhibition tourneys. First you could watch them practice on the sumo ring. Then from 11 am, they wrestled with about 20 little local kids. The tournament started at 11:30 am and ended at 3 pm. They also injected some entertainment such as comic sumo, sumo jinku singing, and taiko drumming demo.

Unfortunately, I didn’t go. But I was impressed by reports of Yokozuna Hakuho and Kokonoe Oyakata (exhibition tour director, sumo stablemaster, and formerly Yokozuna Chiyonofuji) paying a courtesy call on the Abbot of Enryakuji atop Mt. Hiei in Otsu on the 24th. Kokonoe Oyakata has had a friendship with the Tendai Abbot (半田孝淳天台座主) for 30 years. Kokonoe and Hakuho worshipped at Enryakuji’s main worship hall called Konpon Chudo before meeting with the Abbot. Sumo wrestlers represent the Shinto religion, but they have no qualms about praying at Buddhist temples. Heck, even the Emperor visited Enryakuji when he visited Otsu. But then Enryakuji still maintains close ties with Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine at the foot of Mt. Hiei.

The Abbot gave Hakuho a large, framed placard written with the kanji characters 調息, which means to control the rhythm of one’s breathing, as in meditation. Later in Nov. during  the Kyushu sumo tournament, Hakuho failed to break Futabayama’s record of 69 consecutive wins.

Biwako Basho official site here.

Email

Maibara Hikiyama Matsuri

Oct 11th, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

The annual Maibara Hikiyama Festival was held on Oct. 9-11, 2010 near Maibara Station. I went to see it on Oct. 10 (Sun.). It rained in the morning and the floats were covered with blue vinyl sheets, but the rain stopped by early afternoon and I watched it at Yutani Shrine.

The festival was modeled after the more famous Nagahama Hikiyama Matsuri. Although the Maibara Hikiyama Matsuri is a smaller festival with only three floats (only two of them appear during the festival), it was no less impressive with the highly-trained grade school boys performing kabuki on the ornate floats.

Here’s the video:

Photos here: http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=808

Email

Ibuki-yama Taiko Drum Dance

Oct 4th, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

Went to see the Mt. Ibuki Taiko Drum Dance (伊吹山奉納太鼓踊り Ibukiyama Hono Taiko Odori) on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010. It is held only once every five years. I saw it before 5 years ago, but this time I wanted to take better videos and photos (with higher resolution cameras). Luckily, it didn’t rain during the festival, but this dance did seem to beckon the rain, as it rained later in the day.

Held in a small settlement called Ueno at the foot of Mt. Ibuki in Maibara, Shiga Prefecture. There’s Sannomiya Shrine near where you board the gondola (and the old chair lift) to go up Mt. Ibuki. Long ago, villagers in Ueno prayed for rain by doing the thunder dance by beating drums and bells, lighting torches, etc., in Mt. Ibuki. Then after the rainfall and a good harvest in autumn, they danced in appreciation. The dance they perform today is based on this thanksgiving dance.

The taiko drummers spent three and a half months since June to practice. I have posted the video above. This is my first 15-min. video at YouTube, after they started allowing 15-min. video clips (instead of only 10 min.).

Photos coming soon and the link will be posted here and on my home page.

Email

Shiga fireworks in summer 2010

Jul 22nd, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

Here’s the fireworks (hanabi) schedule for Shiga Prefecture in summer 2010 listed by date:

July 17, 2010
Echigawa Gion Noryo Hanabi Taikai in Aisho, 7:30 pm – 9:20 pm
Along the Echigawa River bank near Miyukibashi Bridge. If rained out, to be postponed to July 18.
愛知川祇園納涼祭花火大会
More info: 愛荘町秦荘観光協会／愛荘町愛知川観光協会　TEL：0749-37-8051
http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~e-machi/new/hanabitaikai.html

July 24, 2010
Kashiwabara-juku Yaito Matsuri fireworks, 9 pm – 9:20 pm
Near JR Kashiwabara Station in Maibara.
柏原宿やいとまつり
More info: 中山道柏原宿やいと祭実行委員会　TEL：0749‐57‐0256
http://yaito.kashiharasyuku.com/

Aug. 1, 2010
Hikone Dai-Hanabi Taikai at Matsubara Beach, Hikone, 7:45 pm – 8:30 pm
30-min. walk from Hikone Station. If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 4.
彦根大花火大会
More info: （社）彦根観光協会　Phone: 0749-23-0001
http://www.hikoneshi.com/event/?itemid=641

Ogoto Onsen Noryo Hanabi Taikai in Ogoto Port, 8 pm – 8:30 pm
20-min. walk from Ogoto Onsen Station. Fireworks can be seen from most ryokan in Ogoto.
おごと温泉納涼花火大会
More info: おごと温泉観光協会　Phone: 077-578-1650
http://www.ogotoonsen.com/sightseeing/hanabi/

Omi-Imazu Furusato Natsu Matsuri, 9:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Climax of Imazu’s summer festival starting from 1 pm.
近江今津ふるさと夏祭り　やっさ！今津！！２０１０
More info: 近江今津ふるさと夏まつり実行委員会事務局 Phone: 0740-22-2108
http://www.takashima-kanko.jp/new/20100620_613.html

Hachiman Tenbin Matsuri in Omi-Hachman, 7:30 pm
At Kitanoshosawa area. Shuttle buses provided.
八幡てんびんまつり
More info: 八幡てんびんまつり事務局　Phone: 0748-32-6654
http://tenbinmaturi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/

Aug. 5, 2010
Nagahama Kita-Biwako Hanabi Taikai at Nagahama Port, 7:30 pm
10-min. walk from Nagahama Station. Very crowded so go early to save a spot or pay 3,000 yen for special seating. If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 9.
長浜・北びわ湖大花火大会
More info: 長浜市観光振興課　Phone: 0749-65-6521
http://nagahamashi.org/news/hanabi2010.html

Aug. 6, 2010
Biwako Dai-Hanabi Taikai at Hama-Otsu and Nagisa Park, 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm
This is the big one, but prime viewing areas all charge admission of about 4,000 yen (even for children above age 3). The free area is farther away and terribly crowded. People are no longer allowed to save a place with vinyl mats, etc., until the fireworks day. Would you believe people saved a viewing place on Nagisa Park as early as 2 weeks before the fireworks day? If rained out, to be postponed to Aug. 10.
びわ湖大花火大会
More info: びわ湖大花火大会実行委員会　TEL:077-511-1530
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/hanabi/index.html

Aug. 7, 2010
Makino Summer Carnival at Makino Sunny Beach in Takashima
マキノサマーカーニバル２０１０
More info: 四季遊園マキノ交流促進協議会事務局　Phone: 0740-28-8002
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_12577.html

Ujisato Matsuri Summer Gathering in Hino
Fireworks is the climax of this summer festival (bon dance, etc.) held in the northern parking lot of Hino Town Hall.
氏郷まつり「夏の陣」2010
More info: 日野町イベント実行委員会　Phone: 0748-52-6562
http://www.town.shiga-hino.lg.jp/contents_detail.php?co=cat&frmId=1386&frmCd=4-15-2-0-0

Kotonarie Summer Festa in Higashi-Omi’s Hibari Park
Part of an illumination festival.
コトナリエサマーフェスタ２０１０
More info: 東近江市湖東商工会　Phone: 0749-45-2571
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_373.html

Aug. 9, 2010
Ishiyama-dera Sennichikai and Setagawa fireworks, 8:30 pm – 9 pm
Fireworks along the Seta River near Ishiyama-dera. 10-min. walk from Ishiyama-dera Station on the Keihan Line.
石山寺千日会と瀬田川に煌く炎のページェント
More info: （社）石山観光協会　Phone: 077-537-1105
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_304.html

Aug. 16, 2010
Somagawa Natsu Matsuri near Kibukawa Station, Koka
Fireworks are part of the summer festival with taiko drummers and lantern floating on the river.
杣川夏まつり
More info: 甲賀市観光協会　Phone: 0748-65-0708
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_301.html

Aug. 17, 2010
Setagawa River Hanabi Taikai at Seta River in Otsu, 7:50 pm – 9 pm
Near Seta-no-Karahashi Bridge. Short walk from Karahashi-mae Station on the Keihan Line. Fireworks will climax a waterborne festival on boats.
瀬田川花火大会
More info: 瀬田川流域観光協会　Phone: 077-537-1105
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_303.html

Aug. 25, 2010
Kinomoto Jizo Dai-ennichi fireworks near JR Kinomoto Station
木之本地蔵大縁日　8月22日（日）～25日（水）（花火は25日のみ）
More info: ふるさと夏まつり実行委員会　Phone: 0749-82-5902
http://www.biwako-visitors.jp/search/event_12358.html

Email

Yokaichi giant kite under construction

Jul 18th, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

New design of Yokaichi giant kite announced on July 10, 2010 at Yokaichi Odaki Kaikan, Higashi-Omi. Photo by Yokaichi Odako Kaikan.

Every three years, the giant kite flown at Higashi-Omi’s annual Yokaichi Odako (Giant Kite) Matsuri festival in May is replaced with a new one. And this year in 2010 is when they are building a new giant kite to replace the old one which saw its third and last flight in May 2010.

The retired giant kite was installed in the Yokaichi Giant Kite Museum (Yokaichi Odako Kaikan 八日市大凧会館) on July 4, 2010. Meanwhile, the new giant kite is now under construction for about a month from July 10 to Aug. 13, 2010 at the annex behind the museum. The great thing is that anyone can come in and help build the giant kite. No prior training nor experience required. Just go there and someone will tell you what to do. It could be twirling paper strips, pasting paper, or maybe even painting. Or you can just go and watch them work. The work progresses quickly.

The giant kite is about the size of 100 tatami mats. Three years ago, I went there a few times to help build the kite. It was very interesting. See photos here.

One thing you have to understand about the giant kite’s design is that it expresses a certain theme using a combination of word play with an illustrated pair of animals and one or two kanji characters. The design theme for the new kite in 2010 is “Healthy mind and body” (心身 健やか).

The upper half of the design has a pair of dragons. The kanji for dragon is 辰 (tatsu). There are two of them, so it is 辰辰. This tatsu kanji can also be pronounced as shin. So the kanji pair is pronounced as “shin-shin” which is the intended word play for the kanji characters 心身 (meaning mind and body) also pronounced “shin-shin.”

The bottom half of the design is dominated by the kanji 健 for sukoyaka (健やか) which means “healthy.” And so the design means “Healthy mind and body” (心身 健やか). The large kanji is always painted in bright orange. For this kite design, a professional kanji calligrapher was hired to write the 健 kanji for the kite. Incidentally, 2012 will be the year of the dragon when this kite will still be flying.

The design was based on two winning design entries by two eleven-year-old kids who won the design competition. Every three years, the public is invited to submit designs for the new giant kite. For 2010, the design theme was “health” (kenko 健康).

On July 10, 2010, the Yokaichi Odako Preservation Committee announced the winning designs and the final design. This is what they do if there is no single outstanding design entry. They pick the best designs from multiple winners and base the final design on them. This also happened the last time three years ago. The design winner(s) receives only recognition and no prize.

Volunteers work on the Yokaichi giant kite in 2007.

The Yokaichi Giant Kite Museum (Yokaichi Odako Kaikan 八日市大凧会館) is within walking distance from Yokaichi Station on the Ohmi Railways (map here). Also see the progression of the new giant kite’s construction at the Yokaichi Odako Kaikan blog here.

Email

Golden Week 2010 in Shiga

May 18th, 2010
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

We saw fine weather during Golden Week in Shiga from late April to early May 2010. I went to see a slew of festivals in Shiga during this time. I traveled to Maibara, Ryuo, Tsuchiyama (Koka), Takashima, Yasu, and Kora. I’m trying to see all the major Golden Week festivals in Shiga. The problem is, many of them are held on the same day and at the same time. It will still take me a few more years to see them all, but after this GW, I can say that I’ve see more than half of them.

Here’s what I saw during Golden Week 2010 in Shiga Prefecture (in chronological order):

Photos: Sakata Shinmeigu Yakko-buri Procession 坂田神明宮の蹴り奴振り

Photos: Yuge Fire Festival 弓削の火祭り

Photos: Kenketo Matsuri Festival and Odori Dance ケンケト祭・踊り

Photos: Omizo Matsuri Festival 2010 大溝祭

Photos: Shichikawa Matsuri Festival 2010 七川祭

Photos: Hyozu Matsuri Festival 兵主祭

Photos: Takatora Summit in Kora 2010 高虎サミットin甲良

Email

More spring festivals in Shiga

Jun 25th, 2009
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post

During this rainy season, I’m staying at home to sort through the thousands of photos I took in Shiga during spring. Here are a few more festivals in Shiga which I photographed during spring.

Sanno Matsuri held by Hiyoshi Taisha in Otsu (Part 1 and 2):


Sanno Matsuri photos: Sanno-sai Festival 山王祭

Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri is a festival of floats paraded during April 19-20:

Minakuchi Hikiyama Matsuri photos here.

Kenketo Matsuri in Ryuo (Photos here):

Naginata Odori in Moriyama (Photos here):

Taga Matsuri (Photos here):

I have more spring festivals to show and a full update will be posted soon on my home page (shiga-ken.com).

Email

Chawan Matsuri at Yogo on May 4, 2009

May 7th, 2009
by philbert.
Comments are off for this post
Governor Yukiko Kada pulls a float.

Governor Yukiko Kada pulls a float.

Yogo town, home of Lake Yogo in northern Shiga, held an unusual festival called the Chawan Matsuri or Teacup Festival. It’s been 6 years since it was last held in 2003. It supposed to be held every 3 years, but depopulation and the lack of funds and young people has threatened the continuation of the festival.

It was a very impressive festival with a variety of colorful attractions. Definitely was the best Golden Week festival I saw in Shiga.

The festival started centuries ago when a potter living in Yogo (上丹生) offered teacups to the gods at Niu Shrine in appreciation of the earth used for pottery and his pottery skills.

The festival started with a Shinto ceremony at 10 am at Niu Jinja 丹生神社 shrine. At 11 am, a series of Chigo-no-Mai sacred dances were performed by boys in kimono. Then a procession from Niu Shrine to Hachiman Shrine 1 km away, with a lunch break at Chawan Matsuri no Yakata museum. The floats are crowned with a very tall (over 7 meters) decoration of dolls, bowls, and other objects connected together and somehow do not fall down. The climax is when they detach the supporting poles from the lofty float decorations.

Shiga Governor Kada Yukiko was also on hand to watch the procession and even pull the floats. I got good shots of her too.
See my photos: http://photoguide.jp/pix/displayimage.php?album=742

Email

Tsuchiyama Saio Princess Procession

Apr 30th, 2009
by admin.
Comments are off for this post

On March 29, 2009, I saw the Saio Princess Procession in Tsuchiyama (あいの土山斎王群行). It was very nice. The Saio princess was an unmarried, young Imperial princess, often the Emperor’s daughter, who was appointed (by divination) to be the High Priestess of Ise Grand Shrines in Mie Prefecture from the 7th to 14th centuries. Whenever there was a new emperor, there would be a new Saio princess appointed. She would travel in a procession from Kyoto to Ise, taking 5 nights and 6 days. She lodged in a special temporary palace (disassembled after she lodged in it) called the Tongu, and one Tongu was in Tsuchiyama. So this festival reenacts this procession. It’s also a continuation of Kyoto’s famous Aoi Matsuri.

I shot both video and stills:
 

Photos:
http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=733

Email
← Earlier Posts