Home > SHIGA 滋賀県 > Otsu 大津市 > Sanno-sai Festival 山王祭

sn100-20090413_1351.jpg
The Sanno-sai Festival is held annually on April 12-15 at Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture. Not to be confused with the Sanno Matsuri held by Hie Shrine in Tokyo. It centers on April 14, the shrine's most important day called Reisai.
sn101-20090413_1354.jpg
Hiyoshi Taisha is at the foot of Mt. Hiei (home of Enryakuji temple) and it worships the mountain god. The Sanno-sai festival is the shrine's biggest festival and one of Shiga's biggest festivals. MAP
sn102-20090413_1361.jpg
On April 12, they raucously bring down portable shrines from Mt. Hachioji nearby in the evening. On April 13, they hold a series of ceremonies including this one called the Tea Offering Ceremony at 11 am. 献茶祭
sn103-20090413_1344.jpg
Hiyoshi Taisha's tea field is said to be Japan's oldest. Tea picked from this field is presented to the gods housed in the portable shrines.
sn104-20090413_1383.jpg
The Tea Offering Ceremony is held at the Yomiya-jo where the four portable shrines (mikoshi) are placed. 宵宮場 大政所
sn105-20090413_1367.jpg
Delivering the tea.
sn106-20090413_1373.jpg
Delivering the tea.
sn107-20090413_1379.jpg
sn108-20090413_1381.jpg
The tea is offered to each of the four mikoshi which had been brought down from Mt. Hachioji the night before. The tea is said to bring safe childbirths.
sn109-20090413_1389.jpg
These photos were taken on April 13-14, 2009. I still have to see the other ceremonies.
sn110-20090413_1403.jpg
After the Tea Offering Ceremony, they march back.
sn111-20090413_1358.jpg
The Sanno Festival (in Japanese it's called Sanno-sai, not Sanno Matsuri) consists of a myriad of festival events. Also interesting is the participation of Buddhist priests from Enryakuji temple atop Mt. Hiei.
sn112-20090413_1413.jpg
The four mikoshi at the Yomiya-jo storehouse.
sn113-20090413_1421.jpg
sn114-20090413_1419.jpg
sn115-20090413_1426.jpg
Monkey carvings on a mikoshi. The monkey is the messenger of the mountain god.
sn116-20090413_1527.jpg
At 1 pm on the Sando main road leading to Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, the Flower Procession (Hana-watari-shiki) is held with little kids dressed up as nobility.
sn117-20090413_1530.jpg
The procession includes samurai.
sn118-20090413_1552.jpg
Flower Procession draws large crowds.
sn119-20090413_1542.jpg
Spectators come to see their classmates in the procession.
sn120-20090413_1596.jpg
Flower Procession on Sando 花渡り式
sn121-20090413_1604.jpg
sn122-20090413_1573.jpg
Flower Procession. They walk slowly and deliberately with parents and relatives in tow. 花渡り式
sn123-20090413_1574.jpg
sn124-20090413_1583.jpg
sn125-20090413_1592.jpg
sn126-20090413_1610.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
sn127-20090413_1639.jpg
Flower Procession, Sanno-sai Festival. There are two escorts wearing ceremonial aprons and they drag a wand over the road.
sn128-20090413_1636.jpg
sn129-20090413_1640.jpg
Little kids in ceremonial dress for this fesival are called chigo. 稚児
sn130-20090413_1641.jpg
sn131-20090413_1642.jpg
THe Flower Procession is held to celebrate the birth of the shrine's child god. Therefore, this event centers on the parent-child connection.
sn132-20090413_1651.jpg
Some kids get tried and end up being carried.
sn133-20090413_1625.jpg
sn134-20090413_1630.jpg
The Flower Procession ends at the Yomiya-jo where they bless the child in front of the mikoshi. This Flower Procession ceremony costs the proud, doting parents big bucks.
sn135-20090413_1677.jpg
Family portrait with the chigo child.
sn136-20090413_1656.jpg
Samurai warriors in the Flower Procession.
sn137-20090413_1662.jpg
sn138-20090413_1674.jpg
Hi kids!
sn139-20090413_1680.jpg
sn140-20090413_1777.jpg
The next ceremony is the Hitsuji Offering Ceremony conducted by parishioners from Hiyoshi Jinja Shrine in Kyoto. Starting at 3 pm on April 13, this ceremony has been conducted for many centuries since the Heian Period. 未の御供献納祭
sn141-20090413_1776.jpg
sn142-20090413_1786.jpg
The offerings are given to the four mikoshi at the Yomiya-jo storehouse.
sn143-20090413_1817.jpg
Afterward, they move to Hiyoshi Taisha's Nishi Hongu Shrine.
sn144-20090413_1847.jpg
Hiyoshi Taisha's Nishi Hongu (West) Shrine. This building is a National Treasure. 西本宮
sn145-20090413_1831.jpg
Assistants stand on the steps of the Nishi Hongu.
sn146-20090413_1838.jpg
The Hitsuji offerings include arrows, bells, brushes, dolls, flowers, and sweets. Priests give prayers as they deliver the offerings.
sn147-20090413_1862.jpg
Young ceremony assistants.
sn148-20090413_1896.jpg
April 13 climaxes in the evening with the Yomiya Otoshi Ceremony starting with a torch procession around the streets near Hiyoshi Taisha from 6 pm.
sn149-20090413_1900.jpg
Shrine parishioners carry giant torches around the streets of Sakamoto the neighborhood of Hiyoshi Taisha.
sn150-20090413_1913.jpg
sn151-20090413_1915.jpg
sn152-20090413_1916.jpg
sn153-20090413_1923.jpg
Shogenji temple where all the torch bearers will gather later. Shogenji is a Tendai Buddhist temple on the Sando road. 生源寺
sn154-20090413_1947.jpg
The torch procession gather at Shogenji temple at 7 pm on April 13.
sn155-20090413_1937.jpg
All the torch groups head for the temple.
sn156-20090413_1952.jpg
These guys can get pretty drunk as they haul the torches.
sn157-20090413_1968.jpg
Now at the Yomiya-jo where the four mikoshi are placed. The torch bearers run from the Sando road to Yomiya-jo. This is at around 9 pm.
sn158-20090413_1970.jpg
The first group arrive at Yomiya-jo and go to their mikoshi.
sn159-20090413_1965.jpg
sn160-20090413_1960.jpg
sn161-20090413_1980.jpg
The first group start to violently rock the mikoshi back and forth.
sn162-20090413_1984.jpg
Another group arrive and position themselves at another mikoshi.
sn163-20090413_1988.jpg
Two more groups arrive while running.
sn164-20090413_1991.jpg
Torch bearers arrive at the Yomiya-jo while running.
sn165-20090413_1994.jpg
sn166-20090413_1998.jpg
All four groups have arrived and they stand around the mikoshi. There are more people behind the mikoshi as well.
sn167-20090413_2025.jpg
Yomiya-jo
sn168-44-0317-28.jpg
All four groups of men then rocked the mikoshi back and forth. making thunderous noise. Very dramatic. This is called Yomiya Otoshi. 宵宮落し神事
sn169-20090413_2034.jpg
They stop and after a few speeches, they drop the mikoshi with a bang to symbolize the birth of the child god. Also see my YouTube video here.
sn170-0317-30.jpg
The fun is not over until they start to carry the mikoshi out of the Yomiya-jo. They run with the mikoshi and make it very dramatic (and dangerous if you're in their way).
sn171-0317-32.jpg
There they go, racing to Nishi Hongu Shrine. And that's it for April 13.
sn200-20090414_2048.jpg
Next day on April 14, the Reisai day, the schedule is filled with more ceremonies and events. At 10 am, the Reisai ceremony is held at Nishi Hongu with the Tendai Zasu Abbot from Enryakuji in attendance. He is under the red umbrella.
sn201-20090414_2053.jpg
The Tendai Abbot (orange robes) lines up along with other Enryakuji Buddhist priests on the Sando path of Hiyoshi Taisha.
sn202-20090414_2059.jpg
THe head priest of Hiyoshi Taisha greets the Tendai Abbot.
sn203-20090414_2064.jpg
sn204-20090414_2068.jpg
The Shinto priests proceed to Nishi Hongu.
sn205-20090414_2069.jpg
It was raining this day on April 14, 2009. This is the Romon Gate to Nishi Hongu.
sn206-20090414_2071.jpg
The Tendai Zasu Abbot proceeds to Nishi Hongu.
sn207-20090414_2077.jpg
More Tendai priests from Enryakuji temple proceed to Nishi Hongu. Buddhist priests do not wear the flappy cap like Shinto priests.
sn208-20090414_2081.jpg
More bowing between priests.
sn209-20090414_2112.jpg
Interesting to see Buddhist priests chanting Buddhist sutras in front of a Shinto shrine.
sn210-20090414_2115.jpg
Evidence of how close Shinto and Buddhism were in past centuries in Japan.
sn211-20090414_2121.jpg
On the left is the Haiden Hall with the mikoshi which were brought there the night before from the Yomiya-jo. Nishi Hongu's Honden (main hall) is on the right. 例祭
sn212-20090414_2124.jpg
The Tendai Zasu Abbot is escorted to the Honden.
sn213-20090414_2126.jpg
Tendai Zasu Abbot 天台座主
sn214-20090414_2131.jpg
The Tendai Abbot chants a sutra in front of the Honden at Nishi Hongu. 読経
sn215-20090414_2139.jpg
The Tendai Abbot receives the sacred branch to be offered at Nishi Hongu.
sn216-20090414_2142.jpg
sn217-20090414_2144.jpg
The Tendai Abbot offers the sacred branch.
sn218-20090414_2091.jpg
Ceremony attendees.
sn219-20090414_2135.jpg
sn220-20090414_2176.jpg
Nishi Hongu Haiden Hall has the mikoshi portable shrines.
sn221-20090414_2150.jpg
sn222-20090414_2162.jpg
After the Reisai Ceremony, the Tendai Abbot leaves Nishi Hongu through the Romon Gate.
sn223-20090414_2159.jpg
sn224-20090414_2165.jpg
The Tendai Abbot leaving Nishi Hongu.
sn225-20090414_2173.jpg
The Tendai Abbot leaves Nishi Hongu in a procession of Buddhist priests.
sn226-20090414_2265.jpg
Mikoshi bearers on Sando road make their way to the shrine.
sn227-20090414_2271.jpg
sn228-20090414_2278.jpg
Festival participants make their way to the shrine.
sn229-20090414_2291.jpg
Mikoshi bearers run to the shrine.
sn230-20090414_2296.jpg
sn231-20090414_2297.jpg
Mikoshi bearers run through Nishi Hongu's Romon Gate.
sn232-20090414_2286.jpg
Sacred Horse (dummy) on a small truck proceeds around the shrine at 1 pm. I wonder how they did this in the old days. 御浦神事
sn233-20090414_2301.jpg
People head for Nishi Hongu where the mikoshi are.
sn234-20090414_2303.jpg
sn235-20090414_2304.jpg
Returning the large sakaki branch from Tenson Shrine. 大榊還御
sn236-20090414_2307.jpg
sn237-20090414_2309.jpg
sn238-20090414_2311.jpg
At 1 pm, they held the Large Sakaki Branch Returning Ceremony at Nishi Hongu. The branch was returned from Tenson Shrine (天孫神社/西宮神社). Sakaki is a type of evergreen sacred to Shinto. 大榊還御
sn239-20090414_2282.jpg
After the sakaki branch ceremony, at 1:30 pm they held the Haiden Departure Ceremony at the Haiden where seven mikoshi were placed. 拝殿出し神事
sn240-20090414_2334.jpg
They then carried the mikoshi from the Haiden to the Sando road.
sn241-20090414_2345.jpg
They passed through the Romon Gate.
sn242-20090414_2347.jpg
Carrying the mikoshi through Romon Gate at Nishi Hongu.
sn243-20090414_2343.jpg
sn244-20090414_2315.jpg
It was done with great fanfare.
sn245-20090414_2357.jpg
One after another, they carried out the seven mikoshi.
sn246-20090414_2359.jpg
sn247-20090414_2360.jpg
sn248-20090414_2365.jpg
Mikoshi ornaments were then installed on the mikoshi.
sn249-20090414_2368.jpg
Three of the mikoshi were put on trucks.
sn250-20090414_2388.jpg
Ceremony in front of a shishi lion head.
sn251-20090414_2391.jpg
Four of the mikoshi were to be carried by humans.
sn252-20090414_2397.jpg
At 2:30 pm, they started carrying the mikoshi.
sn253-20090414_2399.jpg
sn254-20090414_2404.jpg
The mikoshi pass under the Sanno torii.
sn255-20090414_2409.jpg
Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture
sn256-20090414_2412.jpg
Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture
sn257-20090414_2416.jpg
Also see my YouTube video here.
sn258-20090414_2419.jpg
神輿神幸
sn259-20090414_2427.jpg
Heading down Sando road.
sn260-20090414_2429.jpg
sn261-20090414_2441.jpg
Passing under another torii facing Sando road.
sn262-20090414_2446.jpg
Sanno-sai Festival, Hiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture
sn263-20090414_2451.jpg
sn264-20090414_2453.jpg
sn265-20090414_2461.jpg
Mikoshi on trucks to transport them to the boat dock.
sn266-20090414_2463.jpg
Mikoshi bearers are taken by bus to the boat dock at 七本柳の浜 which was too far away for me to reach in time.
sn267-IMG_7121.jpg
Hiyoshi Taisha torii on the shore of Lake Biwa. This is not where they load the boat with the mikoshi.
sn268-20090414_2479.jpg
The mikoshi departed by boat at 3 pm. They were put on a barge pulled by a tugboat. The barge sailed off the coast of Karasaki Shrine where they held a ceremony.
sn269-20090414_2486.jpg
Then the mikoshi sailed to Wakamiya Port. 船渡御
sn270-20090414_2502.jpg
Barge loaded with mikoshi approaching Wakamiya Port. Sanno-sai Festival.
sn271-20090414_2514.jpg
The mikoshi return to land at Wakamiya Port.
sn272-20090414_2515.jpg
sn273-20090414_2518.jpg
sn274-20090414_2529.jpg
Mikoshi bearers were standing by at Wakamiya Port and one by one they offloaded the mikoshi from the barge.
sn275-20090414_2523.jpg
sn276-20090414_2545.jpg
sn277-20090414_2559.jpg
They carried the mikoshi on a rainy day on April 14, 2009.
sn278-20090414_2464.jpg
Wakamiya Shrine near Wakamiya Port.
sn279-20090414_2566.jpg
Most of the mikoshi were carried back by truck. Also see my YouTube video here.
152 files on 1 page(s)