The Umadashi Festival
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Susanoo No Mikoto VERSUS Yamatano Orochi
The Umadashi Festival counts among the many kinds of Gion festivals. This festival takes its origins from a legend in which Susanoo No Mikoto fights against a giant snake. In the festival, the snake is symbolized by a horse while Susanoo is represented by an Omikoshi.
On the opening day of the festival (on the eve of the festival actually), the Omikoshi and a five-colored and eight-headed horse parade downtown together. On the eve of the festival,a ritual during which the snake is offered sake is accomplished just like the legend says. On the following day during the main event, the mikoshi and the horse have their showdown. People finally get to see the reconstitution of the fight between Susanoo and the giant snake.
There was a period in time when the festival got interrupted, only to come back as majestic as before.
Namekata-Shi Tennouzaki Yasaka Shrine
The deity enshrined there is Susanoo No Mikoto. The Shrine was created as a Chinjusha Shrine (a Shinto shrine on Buddhist temple grounds dedicated to the tutelary deity of the area.) From that point in time, a peaceful festival was held in order to bring abundant crops, and it seems like it has naturally evolved into the Umadashi festival pattern known to our days.
Umadashi Festival (ACCESS)
Information: Namegata City Hall, Kitaura Office
Phone: 0291-35-2111
Access: JR Kashima line, Itako station
Translated from: 発見！！いばらき
