Kasaboko (Parade Floats)
People long ago believed that divine powers resided in kasaboko, or parade floats, and when the mikoshi in which the gods rode were used to transfer the shintai away from its main shrine, they could accompany the mikoshi to protect the gods and bless their futures.
Nine kasaboko appear in the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival, each with its own festive decorations to pray for the prosperity and longevity of Yatsushiro. Every year, the kasaboko are assembled and disassembled for the festival. There are 200 to 300 parts that are assembled without the use of even one nail. Although kasaboko were originally simply constructed, they have gradually become larger and more luxurious. It is believed that its took on its present form around the mid-18th century.
As the kasaboko have become more resplendent, consequently, it has become difficult to change them, and they have been passed down with repeated repairs and remodeling, leaving them today in the form they took on in the late Edo period.
Kasaboko are kept carefully preserved by associations in each town. Visitors can also view the assembly of the kasaboko before the festival.
