【Hakata Festival 2022】Hakata Gion Yamakasa will be held ！
Hakata Gion Yamakasa will be held in 2022!
Hakata Gion Yamakasa is designated as a folk cultural asset.
It is said that the festival began in 1241, when an epidemic broke out in Hakata, and people prayed to the God to drive out the disease.
From the opening of the decorative Yamakasa on July 1 to the Oiyama in the early morning of July 15.
The event will be held mainly in the Hakata section of Fukuoka.
Please see below for the schedule.
■ July 1
Shime Oroshi
An event to purify the Yamakasa carrying area on the first day of the festival.
Bamboo branches are erected at each corner of the town, shimenawa (sacred straw ropes) are strung, and “simple” Gohei (wand with hemp and paper streamers) are placed alongside.
A priest of Kushida Shrine will perform a blessing and pray for safety during the festival.
Only the Ebisu Nagare team is held a month earlier, on June 1.
This is a remnant of the fact that the festival was held according to the lunar calendar until the mid-Meiji period.
Goshin-ire
A Shinto ritual to invite the gods into the Yamakasa. Decorative Yamakasa erected in shopping arcades and other places precede the ceremony.
The priests of Kushida Shrine visit each Yamakasa according to the schedule.
Once this is done, Yamakasa is opened to the public, creating a festival-like atmosphere.
On the other hand, the carrying of Yamakasa is held around the 6th and 7th.
Tobancho Oshioi-tori
People who were appointed as the duty of each team that year (Team executive from the team duty)
would rush to Hakozaki Beach ahead of the others and bring back Shioi (purified sand)
in small masu box or tebo (woven bamboo goggles).
Of course, they are dressed in happi coats and shimekomi.
※This year’s event (2022) will be held, but those who cannot participate in the Oshioi-Tori
will be able to enter through the front gate,
which will be open from 5:00 pm through the end of the day on July 1 (Fri) and 9 (Sat) .
■ Jul 9
All Teams Oshioi-tori
The main purpose of the event is almost the same as that of the first evening town’s duty Oshioi-tori , but the highlight of the event is the lineup of Yamakasa carriers from all the different teams.
Each team arrives at Hakozaki beach between 6:00 p.m. and just after 7:00 p.m., and prays for safety by clapping their hands at the setting sun.
On the way back, visit Hakozaki Shrine and Kushida Shrine.
※This year’s event (2022) will be held, but those who cannot participate in the Oshioi-Tori
will be able to enter through the front gate,
which will be open from 5:00 pm through the end of the day on July 1 (Fri) and 9 (Sat) .
■ Jul 10
Nagare gaki
Kaki-Yamakasa is finally carried. Its name comes from the fact that it is carried around in each team area.
The time of carrying is different for each team.
The course varies from year to year and is not officially announced, so the only way to find out about it is to ask the people involved beforehand.
The fact that the festival is deeply rooted in the community is evident as it is carried into narrow alleys.
■ Jul 11
Tanagare gaki
This is the only day Yamakasa is carried twice a day. It is so named because Yamakasa is carried out of own team area.
Some teams practice「Kushida-iri」which means to go around the Kiyomichi path of Kushida Shrine.
■ Jul 12
Oiyama Narashi
Literally a rehearsal for the Oiyamakasa festival.
Firstly Ichiban Yamakasa enters into Kushida Shrine 「Kushida Iri」 and carries as fast as possible along the 4km course to the finish line at the corner of Naraya-machi. And the rest of teams carry in their turn. Same as in Oi Yamakasa, the Ichiban Yamakasa is allowed to stop and sing「 Hakata Celebration Song」at the time of entrance to Kushida Shrine「Kushida-iri」 Both “Kushida-iri” and “Course” measure the time required.
■ Jul 13
Shudan Yama mise
It began in 1962 at the request of Fukuoka City. Initially, the festival was held on Showa Street, but since 1983, it has been held on the 1.3 km stretch of Meiji Street between the Gofukumachi intersection and Tenjin (Fukuoka City Hall). Only on this day, a celebrity will rise up and encourage the scolding hands with each style general affairs who plays the role of stick judge.
■ Jul 14
Nagare Gaki
It is also the last chance for inexperienced Yamakasa carryers to carry Yamakasa that year. This is because young and veteran Yamakasa carryers take turns carrying Yamakasa during the Oi Yamakasa.
Some teams practice “Kushida-iri.”
■ Jul 15
Oi Yama
The first Yamakasa team, starting from the first, “Kushida-iri” (entering Kushida Shrine) with the signal of the big drum. After that, they leave the precincts of the shrine and carry it hard along the 5-km “Oi Yamakasa Course” set up in the old Hakata section, aiming for a detour (goal) in Susakimachi. Measure the time required for both “Kushida-iri” and “Course” .
On the Noh stage of Kushida Shrine, a Noh play dedicated to the raging god is performed from 6:00 a.m. to appease the god.
Reference：Hakata Gion Yamakasa official website Schedule
https://www.hakatayamakasa.com/Jun6 2022
