Shinto Rituals of Yatsushiro Myōken Festival

Shinto Rituals of Yatsushiro Myōken Festival
Shinto Rituals of Yatsushiro Myōken Festival
Shinto Rituals of Yatsushiro Myōken Festival
Shinto Rituals of Yatsushiro Myōken Festival

 The Yatsushiro Myōken Festival is held with due solemnity in accordance with ancient rites. Related events are held over a period of about one month.
 Starting with shimenawatate, or the placement of shimenawa, sacred-rice straw ropes that are tied to bamboo on October 31st and strung to torii gates to inform people about the start of the festival, Shinto rituals continue to pray for the safety of the festival and show gratitude to the gods.
 On November 21st, miya-utsushi is held to transfer the deities to the shrine and on the next day, the 22nd, a procession called o-kudari departs for Shioya Hachimangu Shrine, where sacred palanquins are lodged during a festival.
 The main event of the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival is the o-nobori procession on November 23rd, where approximately 1,700 people walk about six kilometers from Shioya Hachimangu Shrine to Yatsushiro Shrine with the magnificent, multi-colored pageantry. The final event of the festival is shimeosame on December 1st, when lions are dedicated in front of the shrine and the following year’s sacred horse dedicators are decided. This is the last day of the Yatsushiro Myōken Festival for that year and the start of the new year.

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