The Hojoya Festival's animal release tradition comes from the Buddhist teaching of not taking life, and it has become a festival where animals are set free back into nature. During the event, the approach to the shrine is lined with all kinds of festive stalls, like food stands and talent shows. It's a great place to stroll around and enjoy the lively atmosphere!
Hakozaki Shrine Hojoya Festival | Review by 柳慧蜜
Other Reviews by 柳慧蜜
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Kintaro Soba Yamamotoya
Founded in 1978, this long-established soba restaurant has continued to preserve kurumi soba, a traditional way of eating soba in Ouchi-juku, where freshly ground walnuts are mixed into the dipping sauce. The walnuts used are wild mountain walnuts that grow naturally in the Aizu region. Compared to common Western walnuts, these native walnuts have less bitterness and a deeper aroma and flavor.
Ouchi-juku is definitely a must-visit spot for many travelers who love coming to Japan.
The soba at Yamamotoya tastes very light and not greasy at all.
You eat the soba with a whole green onion, which really makes you want to take big bites of both the noodles and the onion.
A lot of people come here just for this, so it’s a really popular place. -
Nada Fighting Festival
This grand autumn festival is held annually on October 14 and 15 at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in Shirahama-cho, Himeji City. Known as one of Japan’s three great festivals featuring fierce portable shrine clashes, this unusual event brings together seven areas along the southeastern coast of the city known as the “seven former villages,” whose residents are parishioners of Matsubara Hachiman Shrine. During the eve festival on October 14, lavishly decorated festival floats depart from each district early in the morning. After parading through the town, they pass through the shrine gate in a set order to enter the shrine grounds. The main festival takes place on October 15.
The Nada Fighting Festival held here is all about intense clashes between portable shrines. I didn't expect it to be such a masculine and even a bit rough event! It's definitely something unique and surprising.
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Niihama Taiko Matsuri (Niihama Drum Festival)
Niihama Taiko Festival is held in Niihama City for 4 days from October 15 through the 18. It is counted as one of Shikoku’s Three Great Festivals along with Awa Dance in Tokushima and Yosakoi Festival in Kochi.
It was such a special experience to join the Taiko Festival! You can hear the whistles and drums from far away, and as the taiko floats come in, the excitement builds. Watching them compete to see which float can be lifted the highest and longest is super thrilling and impressive. Every year, tens of thousands of people come to see it in person!