If you like, please repeat it out loud in Japanese.
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2025年12月17日。
December 17, 2025.
今日は、奈良で千年以上続く神事「春日若宮おん祭」についてお伝えしたいと思います。
Today, I’d like to tell you about the Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri, a Shinto ritual that has been held in Nara for over a thousand years.
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突然ですが、平安時代の人々が目の前を歩いていたら、あなたはどんな気持ちになるでしょうか？
This may seem sudden, but how would you feel if people from the Heian period were walking before your eyes?
このお祭りでは、そのような光景が現実のものとなります。
At this festival, that same scene becomes a reality.
春日若宮おん祭は、五穀豊穣と人々の健康を祈願する、奈良を代表する伝統行事です。
The Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri is a traditional event that represents Nara, and is held to pray for bountiful harvests and the health of the people.
最大の見どころは、約500人が参加する「時代行列」です。
The highlight of the festival is the “Historical Procession,” attended by approximately 500 people.
平安時代から江戸時代まで、各時代の衣装を身にまとった人々が、雅楽の音色にのせて静かに練り歩きます。
People dressed in costumes from each period, from the Heian period to the Edo period, quietly parade to the sounds of Gagaku Music.
まるで日本の歴史の教科書の中に迷い込んだかのようです。
It’s as if you’ve wandered into a Japanese history textbook.
この行列は、華やかなだけではありません。
This procession is not just colorful;
「自然と人が調和して生きる」という日本人の祈りと価値観が込められています。
It is imbued with the Japanese prayer and values of “people living in harmony with nature.”
千年の時を超えて受け継がれてきた祈りを、ぜひ想像してみてください。
Try to imagine this prayer that has been passed down for over a thousand years.
今が旬の野菜は春菊です。
The vegetable that is in season now is garland chrysanthemum.
朝食に感謝、ありがとう。
Thank you for breakfast.
応援と評価、宜しくお願い致します。
Thank you for your support and rating.
Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri Festival: An Enduring Historical Spectacle
This guide provides key information about the Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri, a Japanese Shinto festival that has been performed continuously for nearly 900 years.
⛩️ Festival Overview and Purpose
| Item | Details |
| Official Name | Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri |
| Host | Kasuga Grand Shrine (Specifically, Wakamiya Shrine, its auxiliary shrine) |
| History | Started in 1136 by Fujiwara no Tadamichi (the chief advisor to the Emperor at the time). It is a sacred ritual that has been performed uninterrupted for about 900 years. |
| Purpose | A divine ritual to pray for a good harvest (bumper crops), the prevention of plagues and disasters, and national peace and health. |
| Duration | Annually from December 15th to 18th. The main events—the Procession of Eras and the solemn Transfer Ceremony—take place on December 17th. |
🚶 The Jidai Gyoretsu: The Grand Procession of Eras
The highlight of the festival is the Jidai Gyoretsu (Procession of Eras), or Owatari-shiki, where participants wear ancient costumes, recreating a historical picture scroll right before your eyes.
- Procession’s Role: It acts as a guard and a “path clearer” (michihiraki) for the deity, Wakamiya-sama, as he moves from the main sanctuary to the temporary sanctuary (Otabisho).
- Key Components:
- Daimyo Gyoretsu (Lord’s Procession): A stately and impressive parade, reminiscent of the Samurai society of the Edo period.
- Chigo Gyoretsu (Children’s Procession): Young children in colorful, ornate costumes add a touch of splendor.
- Idashi (First Riders): The Hi no Tsukai (messenger), an important official dressed in the hunting attire of the Kamakura period, rides horseback as the herald.
- Performing Arts Groups: Groups dedicated to ancient Japanese performing arts follow, including the Dengaku (rustic dance), Sarugaku (the ancestor of Noh theater), Bugaku (court dance), and archers for Yabusame (mounted archery).
🌙 The Night Ritual: Senko-no-gi (The Transfer Ceremony)
While the Procession is the vibrant “motion” of the festival, the Senko-no-gi is the quiet, solemn “stillness” performed late on the night of the 17th.
- Time: Late night on December 17th, around the turn of the day.
- Content: The sacred ritual in which the deity, Wakamiya-sama, is silently moved from the main shrine to the temporary sanctuary (Otabisho).
- Atmosphere: A strictly solemn ritual held in pitch darkness. The only sounds are the light of torches, the soft melody of a flute, and the clicking of a flint striking steel. Attendees are forbidden from looking at the procession and must observe in complete silence.
🎶 Dedication of Arts: Otabisho-sai
After the Procession arrives at the Otabisho (the temporary sanctuary) on the 17th, approximately 60 different types of ancient, formal performing arts are dedicated to the deity from evening until night.
These performances are literally “living history,” expressing gratitude for the harvest and entertaining the people and the deity.
Core Arts Performed:
- Bugaku (Court Dance)
- Features: Elegant dances performed in ornate robes and masks, accompanied by gagaku (ancient court music).
- Historical Value: The Bugaku transmitted through the Kasuga Shrine lineage is especially valuable for preserving the oldest forms, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
- Sarugaku (Ancestry of Noh)
- Features: An older, rarer form of theater that evolved into the current Noh and Kyogen theater. It includes Waki-Noh (a celebratory play featuring a deity) and Kyogen (a humorous play about common people).
- Historical Value: It preserves the original form of Noh before it was refined by master playwrights like Kan’ami and Zeami in the 14th century, making it crucial for theater history studies.
- Dengaku (Field Music/Dance)
- Features: A vigorous, simple dance and song, originally developed from rituals performed during rice planting. Performers dance to flute and drum rhythms while shaking a sasara (a notched bamboo instrument).
- Historical Value: While mostly discontinued elsewhere, the Dengaku at On-Matsuri is a rare and precious continuation of this medieval commoner’s art form.
🔎 Key Terms for Deeper Understanding
- Kasuga Grand Shrine: The main shrine complex and a World Heritage Site; the center of the festival.
- Wakamiya Shrine: An auxiliary shrine (Sessha) of Kasuga, dedicated to the festival’s central deity, Wakamiya-sama (Amenoshikumo-ne no Mikoto).
- Fujiwara no Tadamichi: The founder who established the festival in 1136.
- Otabisho (御旅所): The temporary sanctuary where the deity stays and the dedicated performances take place during the festival period.
This detailed look at the costumes, route, and performances provides a comprehensive picture of the Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri.
