 Most viewed - Katsube Shrine Fire Festival 勝部神社火まつり |
Katsube Fire Festival: Men dance in rings in front of the fire. Also see the video at YouTube.398 views
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Giant torches in Katsube Shrine, Moriyama, Shiga Pref.291 views
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One of the six torches carried into the shrine.279 views
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Moriyama manhole, Shiga Pref.225 views
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At 6 pm, half-naked young men wearing loincloths march to the shrine. They are 15-34 years old. 迎え152 views
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Fire truck and hydrant right outside the shrine.147 views
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My video of the Katsube Shrine Fire Festival on Jan. 12, 2013. Three Japanese kids report in English.146 views
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They turned off all the lights and lit the torches all at once! Torch lighting! (たいまつ ほうか 松明奉火)143 views
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All fires totally fizzled out.143 views
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It gets very hot...142 views
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Taiko drum procession. Three taiko drums are carried around the neighborhood.141 views
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Taking a sip of sacred sake. They soon get pretty drunk with sacred sake as they walk around the neighborhood beating the taiko drum.138 views
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After a few minutes and before it gets unbearably hot, the fire peters out.138 views
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Withdrawing the burnt-out torch138 views
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Prayer ceremony at Katsube Shrine before they start parading with three taiko drums. 修祓式（しゅっぱつしき）134 views
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Katsube Shrine was founded in 649 and originally dedicated to a warrior god by the Mononobe clan.131 views
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Local firemen130 views
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You can take home a branch of the torch for family safety.128 views
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Rear view of torches.127 views
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Shrine worshippers126 views
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One torch enters the shrine. At around 8 pm, the young men start hauling in the giant torches that were displayed in the neighborhood.125 views
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A total of 12 torches are then in the shrine.124 views
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The giant torches burnt out within 10 minutes.124 views
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Snuffing out the last flames124 views
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The waiting crowd.123 views
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Withdrawing the burnt-out torch123 views
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At around 8 pm, the three taiko drums return to Katsube Shrine (たいこ みやいり 太鼓宮入り)122 views
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The Katsube Shrine Fire Festival is held annually on the second Sat. of January. They light 12 giant straw torches with young men dancing around. The shrine is near JR Moriyama Station (JR Tokaido/Biwako Line). 116 viewsThis is the shrine's main o-torii gate. MAP
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The taiko men parade around the neighborhood from about 6:15 pm to 7:50 pm. (たいこ わたり 太鼓渡り)107 views
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Rear view of burning torches.106 views
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Poster recruiting torch/taiko drum men aged 13-34 to carry the taiko drums and giant torches on the day of the fire festival.104 views
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According to legend, 800 years ago during the Kamakura Period, Emperor Tsuchikado fell ill. A fortune-teller said that it was due to a monster orochi dragon in the marsh in the area of present-day Moriyama.104 views
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In the foreground are torch stands, partially burnt.104 views
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The older men wear red loincloths and the younger ones wear white.104 views
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Katsube Shrine and giant torches. Six torches were laid within the shrine grounds. I saw the festival twice, in 2006 and 2013.103 views
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These little pieces of wood symbolize the scales of the orochi dragon.103 views
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The men receive sacred sake and a good-luck charm from a shrine priest. The ceremony is called, Shushi-mairi (しゅうしまいり 牛玉参り).103 views
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Katsube Shrine in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture. The Honden main hall behind the building you see here is an Important Cultural Property.102 views
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Six more torches were right outside Katsube Shrine. They will be carried into the shrine one by one to be burned.102 views
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A total of 12 giant torches would be lit up for the festival. In the old days, they had more torches, but the number has decreased due to the difficulty of procuring materials.102 views
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Some 400 bundles of rapeseed hulls are used for the 12 torch heads. The torch head smells like tatami mat.102 views
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The emperor sent hunters to kill the dragon which they finally did and burned the body. The emperor then recovered from his illness. When the dragon was burned, the body fell on Katsube Shrine while the head fell on Sumiyoshi Shrine.101 views
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Both Katsube Shrine and Sumiyoshi Shrine hold a fire festival on the same day and same time so you cannot see both fire festivals on the same day.101 views
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Photographers stake their place hours before the festival started. The prime viewing spots were already taken by 4 pm.101 views
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Katsube Shrine torii.101 views
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They all carry a shushi stick imprinted with "Prayer for family safety and health" (奉納勝部神社 家内安全 かない あんぜん).101 views
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All the Torch and taiko drum bearers (たいまつぐみ 松明組) and helpers (せわかた 世話方) now line up in front of the shrine to receive sacred sake (おみき お神酒) and a good-luck charm (おふだ お札).100 views
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The lantern bearers lead the way as the taiko drum bearers exit the shrine.100 views
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The torches are about 5 meters long and weigh over 400 kg.99 views
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Another Katsube Shrine torii.99 views
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The torches are made of tree branches, bamboo, and straw from rapeseed hulls. Many people are involved in gathering the materials and making the torches.98 views
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