 Most viewed - Hyozu Matsuri Festival 兵主祭 |
The Hyozu Matsuri is held at Hyozu Taisha Shrine during May 3-6, but the 5th is the climax with the mikoshi parade. 268 viewsThis is the shrine's first torii. This is at the front end of a 300-meter pine tree-lined path. Infrequent buses go to the shrine from Yasu Station (North exit). So infrequent that you might need to take a taxi. 一の鳥居
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I often see foreigners participating in Shiga festivals.197 views
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Ayame girls at Hyozu Matsuri.193 views
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Hyozu Matsuri Festival 兵主祭173 views
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Ayame mikoshi girls at Hyozu Matsuri Festival, Shiga. 兵主祭165 views
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My YouTube video of the Ayame mikoshi girls at Hyozu Matsuri in 2010.118 views
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They leave here and proceed along the pine tree path to the first torii. Then they will come back here and go back and forth a few times during the festival.106 views
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There is the 300-meter, pine tree-lined gravel path to the shrine from the first torii. MAP103 views
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It was a beautiful festival day on May 5, 2010. The Ayame girls wore colorful happi coats which really added color to the festival.101 views
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My YouTube video of Hyozu Matsuri in 2010.97 views
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After the festival is over, the path is deserted. I had to take a taxi back to Yasu Station. No buses running.95 views
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Ayame girls rehearsing their festival call.94 views
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One feature of this festival is that someone rides on the mikoshi and detaches and raised the phoenix ornament at the top of the mikoshi.93 views
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The mikoshi head home from Hyozu Taisha. That's Mt. Mikami in the background.92 views
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Ayame girls at Hyozu Matsuri in Yasu.90 views
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He thanked the girls and asked them to help clean up. He also gave away the iris flowers.87 views
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When I arrived, the Ayame girls were rehearsing their routine for the festival in front of this red Romon Gate. This gate was said to have been donated by Shogun Ashikaga Takauji in the 14th century. 楼門79 views
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"Ayame" means iris flower, in reference to women. Out of the 30+ portable shrines (mikoshi) and taiko drums to be paraded during the festival, two of them, called Ayame, are carried only by women. These women will carry the Ayame mikoshi and tai79 views
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A Shinto ceremony is held at the shrine in the morning. Then by noon or so, over 30 portable shrines and taiko drums gather here on this path for the annual Hyozu Matsuri on May 5.78 views
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At the festival start time, the Ayame girls start carrying the taiko drum and mikoshi from this gate.72 views
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Many of the mikoshi are for children. The mikoshi come from smaller shrines in the area related to Hyozu Taisha.72 views
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There are several large mikoshi carried by men. All the mikoshi and taiko drums have a name.71 views
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When I visited this shrine before, I wondered what these stone markers were for. Now I know. They have the name of a portable shrine, indicating the place where the respective portable shrines can be parked along this path during the festival.69 views
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At the end of the pine tree path, the second torii is red, right after the Taikobashi Bridge.69 views
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They shout "Choitosa!" while carrying the mikoshi. チョイトサ68 views
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Approaching Hyozu Taisha.68 views
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Looking toward Hyozu Taisha Shrine.67 views
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Nice to see a few foreigners too. Local English teachers perhaps.67 views
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Festival crowd head for the shrine to pray.67 views
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They are so photogenic.67 views
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They crossed over the Taikobashi Bridge. あやめ神輿66 views
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A set routine is lowering and raising the mikoshi.66 views
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Almost got run over by this one.66 views
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The Ayame girls return.66 views
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The children's mikoshi start to leave Hyozu Shrine as the festival winds down.66 views
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The lost mikoshi.65 views
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They come one after another, big and small.64 views
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Meanwhile a Shinto ceremony is held in the shrine hall.64 views
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After the taiko drum, a second group of girls start carrying the Ayame mikoshi. 63 views
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The Ayame taiko girls turn back for the last time and head for the shrine.63 views
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Ayame taiko girls.62 views
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The Ayame mikoshi girls head for the shrine.61 views
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A unique thing about this festival is that the mikoshi rider pulls out and raises the mikoshi's top ornament (usually a phoenix). 鵜の息抜き60 views
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The big Omiya mikoshi.60 views
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The children's mikoshi are parked along this path in front of the shrine.60 views
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Shrine maidens.60 views
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One mikoshi was missing. Maybe it was lost.59 views
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At this end of the pine tree path, there is the Taikobashi Bridge and the red torii. This is where the crowd is concentrated to see the mikoshi being raised and the phoenix atop the mikoshi pulled out and raised by the mikoshi rider..59 views
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All that gravel can make it quite dusty.59 views
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The drummer really has to move quickly with the rest of the boys as they move unpredictably.59 views
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A priest blesses each children's mikoshi.59 views
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