FESTIVALS and ANNUAL EVENTS

更新日:2021年03月31日

Festivals Handed Down and Driven by Communities

Many festivals in Nishiwaki City, where farming is prosperous, have been held since ancient times to pray for a good harvest.
Autumn festivals all over the city, in particular, arc filled with feverish excitement, while portable shrines are carried around the city.
All events represent the characteristics of Nishiwaki City. Including "Yasubei Hida Kenshosai" (The festival of the anniversary of the death of the father of Banshu-Ori) as well as 'Kuroda-no-Sato Kanbei Festival" honoring Kanbei Kuroda who was a feudal warlord associated with Kurodasho.

Yorimasa Festival

Yorimasa Festival (April)

Okanoyama Festival

Okanoyama Festival (May)

Hometown Firefly Festival

Central Carnival (October)

Kuroda no sato KANBEI Festival

Kuroda no sato KANBEI Festival (November)

NISHIWAKI ORIMONO FESTIVAL (August)

maidan

THANKSGIVING FOR ORIMONO(TEXTILE)

Shinto maidens demonstrate how to weave Banshu-ori textiles on old wooden looms.

This festival is held to wish the local textile industry continued prosperity.

orimono festival

ORIMONO FESTIVAL

A biggest summer festival is held at Heso Park and the CITIZENS’ CENTER on consecutive days. Many people enjoy a wonderful fireworks, vibrant music, and various dance troops performing “yosakoi”, a very modernstyle mass dance.

AUTUMN FESTIVALS (October)

This autumn festival is the largest traditional Japanese festival held in Nishiwaki.

At shrines throughout the city traditional ceremonies are held to give thanks for a successful harvest and the “mikoshi” portable shrines of the various neighborhoods that make up Nishiwaki are brought out and paraded through the streets.

While there are two types of mikoshi, the Abare-daiko and the Futon-daiko, both mean, large taiko drums.

rekkei
mikoshi

The Futon-daiko is ornately decorated with scenes from local legends and other relevant symbols all intricately woven in gold and silver threads. Some Futon-daiko are equipped with special lighting, so they can be displayed at night.

abare-daiko

The Abare-daiko is rocked over from side to side more than 90 degrees while the drummers ride and continue the taiko beat.

SHINTO CEREMONIES

wara-wara

WARAWARA (January)

Family heads come to Myokakuji-temple and beat the walkway in front of the main hall with a wisteria vine. If the vine breaks, there is every prospect of a bountiful rice crop in the coming year.

Namazuosae Ritual

Namazuosae Ritual (October)

The festival to reproduce the legend that when the ancient villager returned the stolen treasure sword to the temple, it turned catfish.

 

 

Owarai Ritual

Owarai Ritual (October)

The humorous festival praying for a good harvest while laughing loudly.

tondo

TONDO (January)

Throughout Nishiwaki, large bamboo bonfires are prepared and local families bring their old Okazari (religious symbols for protection, health, good luck and prosperity etc.) from their homes and businesses to throw on the purifying fire.

Children also create calligraphy to add to the fire wishing for health and good fortune for the new year.

SPORTS EVENT

HESO half-MARATHON (December)

Heso Park is the starting point for the men, women and children of all ages who participate in this road race. Courses range from 1.5 km for children to 5, 10 and even a half marathon course for adults. (As of yet there is not a full marathon course.)

Heso half-marathon
Highschool  Freshman Road Relay

Nishiwaki Taka Highschool  Freshman Road Relay Championship ( February )

High school student runners nationwide gather and run around in Nishiwaki City.

この記事に関するお問い合わせ先

西脇市 市長公室 秘書広報課(秘書担当)

電話:0795-22-3111(代表)
ファックス:0795-22-1014(代表)​​​​​​​
問い合わせフォーム