ジャーナルJournal

Why is the Furukawa Festival celebrated outside the shrine?

The Furukawa Festival is an annual event of the Ketawakamiya Shrine. It all started when parishioners discussed and decided to let their guardian deity stay over once in a while, as they felt sorry for keeping it cooped up inside the shrine all year round. So, they built an otabisho, a resting place for the deity, in the town and the festival started as an event designed to take the deity to the otabisho.

In the morning of April 19, the day on which the Shigakusai is held, a ritual is held in the main hall of the shrine to pray for parishioners, Hida City, and Gifu Prefecture, as well as for the peace and safety of Japan and the world. After that, parishioners, carrying the deity in the mikoshi (portable shrine), head for the inner town and take the deity to the otabisho. On the next day, April 20, we have the Hongakusai, the main festival. So, we beat the Okoshi-Daiko (rousing drum) the night before to wake up parishioners in the town for the big event. In the Hongakusai, the spirit of the deity takes possession of the mikoshi, which is carried around in the town before returning to the shrine.

Why has the festival been carried on for generations while changing with the times?

Those serving in leadership roles in yatai float groups and Okoshi-Daiko teams are determined by drawing lots on the first Sunday of March, and the festival is carried out under their leadership. The procession of the mikoshi carrying the deity to the otabisho and around the town where parishioners reside is the main event of the festival, while the accompanying procession and gathering of yatai floats are meant to be an offering from parishioners to the deity. Yatai float groups and Okoshi-Daiko teams are autonomous neighborhood associations.

With rural regions across the country facing a declining population, some traditional festivals might have been or will be discontinued. Despite all the odds, the Furukawa Festival has been carried on thanks to the efforts of parishioners who, based on consensus reached through discussion, have made various changes to the festival where necessary to adapt to the changing needs of times while keeping the essence of the festival unchanged. For instance, the turret for the Okoshi-Daiko used to be carried over people’s shoulders. Today, it is carried on the wheels. The rolling chassis of a Nissan Bluebird car, donated by the owner of a car repair company, has been set into the frame of the turret to wheel it. By switching from carrying to wheeling, it became easier to move the turret forward even with a smaller number of participants. It also reduced wear and tear on the turret.
It may not get across to tourists, but parishioners put their hearts and souls into the Furukawa Festival because they have their respect and gratitude for their guarding deity deeply rooted in themselves. So, when you come here for the festival, I would like you to try to understand the spirit of those parishioners as you see it.