π Festival - Abare Festival, Noto Town - 2022

Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Applicable Dates :
Available the 1st of July 2022 through the 2nd of July 2022
Itinerary Type :
Festivals
Number of Stops
2
Est. Drive
22 km / 13.9 miles - 27 minutes
Est. Site-Seeing :
Between 35 hours and 47 hours 40 minutes
 
This festival is one of 29 Noto Kiriko Matsuri ("Float Festivals") held each year in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, the most for any area of Japan.

This festival can/should be combined/customized with one or more other driving itineraries in Ishikawa. You can conveniently access this festival from various "gateways" in Ishikawa Prefecture: the Kanazawa JR Station if arriving by train, or either the Komatsu or Noto Satoyama Airports if arriving by air. All three gateways have multiple rental car outlets.

Due to crowds for the festival, be prepared to park away from the actual festival site. There are normally local people directing traffic near the site(s) so allow a little extra time to park and walk to the site.

Highlights of this festival:

● Lively dancing of 40 kiriko floats around pillar torches.
● Rampage with throwing of the portable shrines into fire and water.
● Unvarnished kiriko floats made of local hiba wood.

For background and historical details click the link to the festival website above.
 

22 km / 13.9 miles - 27 minutes
1. Noto Satoyama Airport - のと里山空港

Courtesy of Wikipedia
Courtesy of Walter L. Keats
Accessible Has Food Has Geocache Has Parking Has Shopping Has Toilet Has Vending Machine(s)
MapCode :
283 475 067*52
Phone :
076-826-2000
Description :
The Noto Satoyama Airport is centrally located in the Noto Peninsula. As of early 2019 there were 2 daily round trip flights from Tokyo's Haneda Airport via All Nippon Airways. There are several rental car companies with offices at the airport. Airport code is NTQ.
Address :
10-11-1 Miimachi Sue, Wajima-shi, Ishikawa 929-2372
22.4 km /  13.9 miles - (27 minutes)
2. Abare Festival (#23) - あばれ祭 (#23)

Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Has Food Has Parking Has Toilet Has Vending Machine(s)
Min/Max Time :
2100 / 2800 Minutes
MapCode :
329 185 724*30
Phone :
076-862-8532
Description :
The Abare Festival is held on the 1st Friday and Saturday of July each year.

"The Ushitu area of Noto Town is known for its fixed-net fishing. The “Abare Festival” of Ushitsu Yasaka Shrine is the first of many kiriko festivals held annually on the Noto Peninsula. According to legend, a contagious disease spread in this area in the Kanbun period (1661 ~ 1673). The deity Gozu Tenno was invited from Kyoto’s Gion Shrine, and a big festival was held. Then, a large bee appeared and stung the sick people, and they were cured. The locals thought that the bee was a messenger of the deity; they made a large kiriko float and paraded in celebration. This is said to be the origin of the “Abare”, or “rampage”, festival. Nowadays, to entertain the deity, who is fond of boisterous activity, people go on a rampage, carrying kiriko and the portable shrine. This is the most dynamic festival of the many kiriko festivals in Noto.

The main feature on the first day of the festival is the kiriko. The guardian shrines of the people of Ushitsu, Hakusan Shrine (for the eastern area) and Sakataru Shrine (for the western area) hold a Shinto ceremony at Yasaka Shrine, and the two portable shrines are paraded in their own areas of the town. Kiriko floats are also carried to Tanagi Beach (on the east side of the port). In the evening, more than 40 kiriko floats line up. At nine o’clock, fireworks are set off as a signal to start the festival. The kiriko floats are carried to Iyasaka Square, in front of the town hall. When they arrive, five 7 m/23 ft tall pillar torches are lit. The kiriko floats continuously turn around the pillar torches to the sound of drums. The participants and audience become excited at the sight of flames and falling sparks, and the festival reaches its climax.

On the second day, the portable shrines set off for Yasaka Shrine, with kiriko in the front and at the back. With powerful cheers, the carriers throw the portable shrines into the sea and river, and into a fire. The highlight is when they throw the portable shrines into the river from Kajikawa Bridge, roll them in the water and get onto them. After they arrive at the shrine, they throw the portable shrines into the flames of burning torches, and beat them, creating sparks. People who want to take the portable shrines into the shrines and those who don’t want to fight with each other, and the portable shrines are thrown into the fire repeatedly. The festival ends after two o’clock in the morning, when the portable shrines enter the worship hall of the shrine."

Source: "Kiriko Festivals in Noto"

This festival (#23) is one of 29 Noto Kiriko Matsuri ("Float Festivals") held each year in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, the most for any area of Japan.

For additional background and historical details click the link to the festival website above.
Hours :
Peak times: Friday - 21:00; Saturday - 22:30.
Recommended arrival times: Friday - 18:00; Saturday - 21:00.
Recommended parking: Ushitsu Port temporary parking - MapCode: 329 153 402*55.
Address :
The Ushitsu area of Noto Town

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