π Festival - Tsurugiji Hachiman Shrine Festival, Wajima City - 2023

Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Courtesy of Ishikawa Prefecture Tourism League
Applicable Dates :
Available the 15th of July 2023 through the 16th of July 2023
Itinerary Type :
Festivals
Number of Stops
2
Est. Drive
35 km / 21.9 miles - 43 minutes
Est. Site-Seeing :
Between 24 hours and 36 hours
Website :
https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/kiriko/en/kiriko/tsurugiji.php
 
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:

● Parade with a portable shrine, kiriko and a lion dance.
● Raising of the portable shrine and kiriko above the carriers heads.
● Lion-killing performance in front of the shrine.

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

35 km / 21.9 miles - 43 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
Website :
http://www.noto-airport.jp/
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
35.3 km /  21.9 miles - (43 minutes)
2. Tsurugiji Hachiman Shrine Festival (#10) - 剱地八幡神社大祭 (#10)

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 :
1440 / 2160 Minutes
MapCode :
471 520 395*06
Phone :
076-823-1146
Website :
https://www.hot-ishikawa.jp/kiriko/en/kiriko/tsurugiji.php
Description :
The Festival is held on the 3rd Saturday and Sunday each year.

"This festival is the summer festival of the Tsurugi area of Monzen-machi, Wajima City, which is known for Koto-ga-hama Beach, where there is “singing sand”. The festival is called “Osayo Festival,” after the tragic love story of Osayo and Shigezo, and “Shinko-sai Festival” because the deity in the portable shrine visits people’s homes to bring them happiness.

On the day of the festival, the portable shrine, kiriko floats and lion dance members parade around the town. The portable shrine and kiriko are raised when they come close to the eaves of houses with hangings and lanterns decorated with the residents’ family crest, while moving right and left to the rhythm of loud shouts. After parading around the town, the portable shrine arrives in front of the shrine at around 10 o’clock at night. Accompanied by the music of gongs and drums, the portable shrine and kiriko dance wildly. When a young man jumps up to the portable shrine and takes the Chinese phoenix (representative of a divine spirit) from the top of the portable shrine, the festival reaches its climax. The man who picks up the Chinese phoenix is 25 years old, which is an unlucky age. When he accomplishes the task smoothly, the spectators praise him, shouting “Good job”.

One of the distinctive features of Tsurugi Hachiman Shrine Festival is a lion dance performance. In front of the shrine, a long-nosed goblin appears riding on a lion. The goblin kills the lion, and the portable shrine returns to the shrine as the finale of the festival.

Due to a lack of performers, the lion dance has not been carried out for the past few years. It is hoped that the lion dance will resume in the future."

Source: "Kiriko Festivals in Noto"

This festival (#10) 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 time: Sunday - 16:00.
Recommended arrival time: Sunday - 15:30.
Recommended parking: Kotogahama Beach parking - MapCode: 471 489 777*60.
Address :
Tsurugi area, Monzan-machi, Wajima City

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