Enjoy culture through
Festivals
Syuusei Onikai festival
Where: Kunisakimachi Iwatouji
When: Nearest Saturday of 1st Lunar Month
The Syuusei Onikai festival, a precious matsuri representing Kunisaki’s traditional, intangible culture, held in 65 temples of Rokugo Manzan before, but now is started from nearly 6pm to midnight in Iwatouji or Jobutsuji at the beginning of a new year.
(The Syuusei Onikai festival is stopped being held in Jobutsuji from 2016 ). There are many dances and ceremonies in the Syuusei Onikai festival, in which Araki who wears black mask appears at 10pm later , runs around the hall of temple with firebrand and dances around people’s home. It’s said that many ghosts, who can scare the people and bring the happiness to them, in caverns in Kunisaki’s mountains. In the Syuusei Onikai festival, participators can be beaten their backs by the Araki, wish no illnesses, safe and harvest in this year.
Big Kushikusya Festival
Where: Kushikusha
When: 14th October
Kushikusya Festival is also the national intangible culture heritage of Kunisaki. However, the origin of it is still unclear. People are drawing their faces ,entering the fire and running around the temple by holding a bracken with fire. If they were touched by sparks, it means that they will be healthy this year.
Yoshihirogaku Festival
Where: Musashimachi Yoshihiro Gakuniwahachimangu
When: 4th Sunday of every July
Yoshihirogaku Festival, a national intangible culture heritage, is a ceremony danced with drums in Musashi area of Kunisaki. It started from that Hiroyoshisyoken, who had won in the war, and danced with drum for wishing the harvest in Nanbokuchiyou.
Otaue Festival
Where: Kunisakishi, Akimachi Meiji
When: Spring Equinox
Otaue Festival is a ceremony for farming with wishing harvest and family’s prosperous in front of the God. People will wear a costume that is worn in the ancient time when people are farming, and plant seedlings together.
Kawahune Festival
Where: Akimachi Shimobaru
When: 8th August
Kawahune Festival is held by businessmen in Akimachi’s port area from 1508 for the safe during their naval navigation.
Due to Kunisaki’s unique religious culture there are many opportunities for tourists to experience this throughout the year for a more authentic Japanese experience.
There are many traditions related to fire which has been the part of the people’s life since ancient times. Many of them are passed down through generations, and are a national intangible cultural heritage.