Toyama’sHikiyama Festivals

Registered on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Takaoka Mikurumayama FestivalJohana Shinmei Shrine Hikiyama FestivalUozu Tatemon FestivalTakaoka
Mikurumayama Festival

Takaoka city

The origins of the Mikurumayama Festival are said to lie in an imperial
carriage presented to Maeda Toshiie, first lord of the Kaga Domain, byToyotomi Hideyoshi. This carriage, which had been used to welcome thenEmperor Go-Yozei on his visit to Hideyoshi’s Jurakudai Palace in 1588,
was subsequently converted into a ceremonial f loat and presented to thepeople of Takaoka by Maeda Toshinaga, second lord of Kaga, on the occasionof the construction of Takaoka Castle. Takaoka was a bustling center ofcommerce during the Edo period, and the civic pride and financial meansof its townspeople enabled the Mikurumayama floats to be decorated withornamental work featuring exquisite metalwork, lacquer work, dyeing andother artisanal craftsmanship, making this one of the most splendid festivalsof its kind in Japan today.

※The colorful “hanagasa” atop the central pillars of the Mikurumayama floats, seen herein full force, attract the attention of divine spirits who descend into them.

※The body of a float is covered in a tapestry-woven textile
depicting elephants and Chinese boys.

※

The magnificent float wheels are exquisitely
decorated in lacquer and metalwork.

FestivalInformation

Takaoka Sekino Shrine (annual spring festival)
P l a c e Yama-cho, Takaoka city, Toyama prefecture
ShrineDate◆Related facility

May 1

Takaoka Mikurumayama Museum(permanent display of authentic Mikurumayama float)

Address: 47-1 Moriyama-machi, Takaoka city, Toyama prefectureTEL: 0766-30-2794
Closed: Tuesdays and New Year’s holidays
Open: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. (admission until 4:30 p.m.)※ photo provided by Takaoka City Board of Education

Japanese Festival
Q1

Q&A

What are traditional Japanese festivals like?

Japanese festivals are ceremonial rituals that honor Shinto gods called“kami.” Festivals can be divided into two main categories: spring andautumn festivals that pray to and thank the gods for abundant harvests,
and summer festivals held to ward off evil spirits, disease and otheradversities.
Sh into is a n indigenous Japa nese
religion with no widely recognized founder,
sacred texts or fixed doctrines. It is apolytheistic religion characterized by its
animistic beliefs, and Japanese shrines
are associated with Shintoism.

A Japanese Shinto shrine

In Japan, gods reside in elementsof nature such as trees

Uozu Tatemon FestivalUozu city
An annual festival held by the Suwa Shrine to pray for safety at sea anda bountiful harvest of fish, the Uozu Tatemon Festival features seven large
Tatemon floats which are pulled along the streets of Uozu. The word “tatemon”
is said to symbolize the act of making an offering to the gods, and each
Tatemon float consists of a sled-shaped base that supports a 15-meter pillar
from which approximately 90 lanterns hang in rows, forming a triangularshape which resembles the unfurled sail of a ship. Groups of young people
wearing traditional festival happi coats push and pull the almost 5-ton
Tatemon floats from the Uozu shore to the Suwa Shrine, a feat made evenmore remarkable by the fact that the Tatemon f loats lack wheels. This
procession culminates in the spinning of each float in front of the shrine, atruly spectacular climax to the festival.
Tatemon floats are triangularin shape and have no wheels.
The octagonal paper lamp atop
the central pillar ser ves as atemporary residence for the divine
spirit who accompanies the float.

Japanese Festival
Q2

What is the difference betw

Mikoshi are portable shrines used
type of large ceremonial float decorate
to the Johana Hikiyama floats, the T
as hikiyama. People can ride on a hik
A festival procession centers arounlion dance and ritual objects known
serve as ceremonial attendants of theQ3

What is the shishimai lion d

The shishimai lion dance is a tradi
head and cloth body. A “shishi” refers
The lion dance leads a mikoshi proce
path for the divine god who follows. I
Japan 1300 years ago during the Asuk△The spinningof the floats infront of Suwa
Shrine markst h e f e s t i va lclimax.
△

Each float is pulled by a large group made up of
local residents aided by volunteers, including many
foreign participants, recruited to help each year.

△FestivalInformation

Suwa Shrine (annual summer festival)P l a c e Suwa-machi, Uozu city, Toyama prefecture
ShrineDate◆Related Facility

First Friday and Saturday in August

Ariso Dome(approximately full-sized model of Tatemon float displayed in lobby)

Address: 2898-3 Kita-onie, Uozu city, Toyama prefectureTEL: 0765-23-9802
Closed: Tuesdays and New Year’s holidays
Open: 8:30 a.m.– 9:30 p.m.
△△ photo provided by Uozu City Board of Education

Q&A

ween mikoshi and hikiyama?

to carry the spirit of a shrine deity during festivals. Hikiyama refers to aed with a variety of images including spears and human figures. In addition
Takaoka Mikurumayama floats and Uozu Tatemon floats are also classified
iyama, but are not allowed to ride in a mikoshi.
nd a mikoshi, which is carried on the shoulders of participants. A shishimaias “hoko” often lead the procession, while hikiyama and other floats may
mikoshi, which they follow behind.

Mikoshidance?

itional folk dance performed by participants in costumes consisting of a lion
to a lion, whose fierce strength enables it to fend off evil spirits and disease.
ession in order to drive away any evil or misfortune, thereby purifying theIt is believed that the lion dance originated in India and was introduced toka period.

The lion dance preceding the mikoshi

Johana Shinmei Shrine
Hikiyama Festival

Nanto city

Known as the “little Kyoto” of the Etchu region (present-day Toyama
prefecture), the Johana district of Nanto city flourished as a center of silk
production during the Edo period. On the occasion of the rebuilding of Johana
Shinmei Shrine in 1717, a mikoshi (portable shrine) was constructed, anda spring festival was begun to celebrate the “togyo” ritual of transporting
the shrine deity to its temporary residence in the mikoshi shrine. In lateryears, the mikoshi procession was joined by a shishimai lion dance, as well ashikiyama and iori-yatai floats.
Today, the festival procession which winds through the streets of Johanafeatures three mikoshi which are preceded by the shishimai lion danceand ritual objects known as kenboko and kasaboko. Following the mikoshi
are elegantly ornamented hikiyama f loats, which bear deity statues
representing each of the Johana area neighborhoods, and iori-yatai f loats
carrying musicians who play “iori-uta” folk songs from the Edo period. Thehikiyama and iori-yatai floats are considered a highlight of this festival, andthe beautifully evocative sound of iori-uta performed on the shamisen andJapanese flute helps to bring the atmosphere of old Edo into the modern day.

Deity statues are borne on the gorgeously decorated hikiyama floats.

Iori-yatai floats, modeled
after traditional restaurants
and teahouses of the Edoperiod, carry musicians
playing Johana iori-uta
folk songs.

During the festival, divine spirits are
believed to descend into the kasaboko
which precede the mikoshi.

FestivalInformation

Johana Shinmei Shrine (annual spring festival)
P l a c e Johana, Nanto city, Toyama prefecture
ShrineDate◆Related Facility

May 4-5

Johana Hikiyama Museum(permanent display of authentic Hikiyama float)

Address: 579-3 Johana, Nanto city, Toyama prefectureTEL: 0763-62-2165
Closed: New Year’s holidays
Open: 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. (admission until 4:30 p.m.)

Japanese FestivalQ4

Q&A

What are some characteristics of Toyama festivals?

Toyama has a wide variety of festivals which vary in character and purpose according to thetime of year in which they take place. Three distinguishing features of Toyama’s festivals are asfollows:
1) Many festivals in Toyama include a shishimai lion dance. Toyama prefecture has one of thehighest numbers of lion dances in Japan, with 850 lion dances that have been passed down
through the generations and continue to be performed.
2) Toyama also has many festivals with hikiyama floats. The
three festivals introduced here are leading examples ofToyama’s hikiyama festivals and are all registered on theUNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
3) Fire is also a predominant element of many Toyama
festivals. Fire is used to welcome divine spirits, or is used as
an instrument of purification that drives away misfortune
and impurity. The Namerikawa Nebuta Nagashi is a festivalthat ritualistically banishes sleepiness and uncleanliness bysending rafts with flaming torches out to sea.

The Namerikawa Nebuta Nagashi isa Nationally-Designated Important
Intangible Folk Cultural Property

Life-Long Learning & Cultural Assets OfficeToyama Prefectural Board of Education

1-7 Shinsogawa,Toyama 930-8501,Japan
TEL: 076-444-3456 http//www.pref.toyama.jp