Coexistence - Exhibits - Festival s



‚l‚‰‚Ž‚‚”‚ Festival
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Kumano, a land of seafarers, has several festivals held on or near the sea. This festival is one example and is held on Oshima Island, near Kushimoto Town. This festival is held on February 11th under the direction of the Oshima ‚l‚‰‚Ž‚‚”‚ Shrine. The main deity of the shrine is 'Homutawakenomikoto' (Emperor Ojin) who fled from a historic rebellion and came to the shores of Oshima Island which was guarded by Takenouchinosukune. The island people warmly welcomed him by sending boats out to meet him. This is the origin of the festival. Its highlight is 'kaitenma kyoso' where two boats race from Oshima Island to the town of Kushimoto.
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The Festival of '1000 Rice Paddies Planting'
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This festival, called Maruyama Senmaida, is held in Kiwa Town in an area which still features 2200 terraced rice paddies. This can be said to be an archetypical landscape of the Kumano mountain people. This festival is an expression of the local wisdom which emphasizes the importance of living in harmonious coexistence with nature. This festival is held right in the rice paddies. The dance is a prayer calling for a good harvest through sharing the grace of nature by working in harmony with its laws. The festival continues to be preserved by the Kiwa Town Local Performing Arts Preservation Society.
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Mifune Festival
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This is a festival held under the auspices of the Hayatama Grand Shrine. Its outstanding feature is the boat race held on the Kumano River. This is the finale of the Kumano Hayatama Grand Shrine Festival, held on October 15 and 16. The nine racing boats are from the nine wards of 'Old Shingu'. To prepare for this race the teams engage in hard training for more than one month.

Nine racing boats lead the beautiful Shinkosen boat which carries a portable shrine pulled by another boat called the Morotesen. This festival is not only a boat race but also has to do with the resurrection of the Hayatama Grand Deity. The race begins on the riverbank downstream from the shrine. The rowers set out for an island in the river which is about 1km away. Each boat must circle the island, and the first boat to return to the starting point wins a special prize. This photo conjures up memories of the old Kumano Navy of ancient times.
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Koza Nenneko Festival
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On the first of December each year a festival is held at the Konoha Shrine in Koza Town which commemorates the day when Empress Jingu gave birth there to a child. Early in the morning, the priest starts Shinto rites carrying a rolled straw mat and something which resembles a mother's breasts. A beautiful ten year old girl is chosen to perform the Shinto rite as a rice carrier holding a wooden rice bucket on her head. Afterwards other ceremonies are performed, i.e. a bow and arrow ceremony, a question and answer session about oranges. Each of these ceremonies has a deep cultural significance. The Nenneko Festival is considered to be an 'Intangible Cultural Treasure' by the Wakayama Prefecture Government.
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Katsuura Kaitenma
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Katsuura Town has been a thriving port for many years and recently has become a major centre for tuna fishing in the Kinki Region of Japan. Deep in the harbour of Katsuura Town the Katsuura Hachiman Shrine can be found. Each year on September 15 the shrine holds a major festival which features an exciting boat race. After a Shinto ceremony, the boats, powered by several strong young men in loincloths and bandanas, race across Katsuura Bay just in front of the fish market.
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Hamanomiya Kai Odori
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This dance is one of the local performing arts of Kumano Sansho Omiwa Yashiro Shrine (Nagisa no miya) in Hamanomiya, Nachi Katsuura Town. This is thought to be one of the 'big catch' dances which can be seen all over Japan. But its graceful hand movements are said to set this dance apart from the rest. The dancers wear a head band and a hemp palm loincloth and dance to flute and drum music.
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Kawachi Festival
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This is a unique festival held in Koza Town from July 23 to 25. Held at the mouth of Koza River it is a festival which is based on the indigenous belief that farming and fishing are interdependent.

Early on the morning of July 23rd the festival begins by drawing water from the sea below the Koza Shrine in order to begin the rites of purification for all households in Koza. On the 24th, various singing and chanting rituals are performed in honour of important figures in Japanese mythology. On the 25th, the festival proper begins, along with a boat race in memory of the ancient Kumano Navy which was once based here. The method of rowing the boats is a legacy from the whaling era in the region. The festival ends with a special ceremony involving the boats.
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Ya-Ya Festival
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This festival is held every February under the direction of the Owase Shrine. It is sometimes called the 'Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Festival)', but usually is known as the 'Yaaya Matsuri' due to the shouting of the young festival participants walking throughout the town. This festival is held under the direction of the Owase Shrine also known as the 'Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Festival)'. After a Shinto ceremony three Shinto priests who have been selected to perform this year's ceremonies walk through the town with generals, ladies of the court, portable shrines, and a parade. The younger participants guard the parade shouting 'Yaaya' and jostle fiercely against one another, full of the vigour characteristic of seamen.
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Hongu Grand Shrine Annual Festival
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On the 15th of April every year there is a festival in which people in traditional attire walk in procession from the new shrine to Oyunohara@in the full broom of cherry.
This is the original site of the Hongu Grand Shrine. It is located on a small forested island where the Kumano River and Otonashi River meet. The old shrine was washed away by a flood in 1889. Moss-covered foundation stones and a stone wall still remain and people often come to enjoy the cherry blossoms in spring or the changing of the leaves in the autumn. 
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