Step Back into Japan's Middle Ages　Kawachinagano

Taimatsu Tate Fire Festival at Nagano Jinja Shrine

Each year, on October 11, Nagano Jinja Shrine hosts the Taimatsu Tate Fire Festival, a vibrant traditional festival featuring towering torches.

The name Taimatsu refers to outdoor torches made by lighting wooden pieces, and Tate means “to stand.” The festival is known as Taimatsu Tate for its centerpiece: a towering torch approximately 5 meters tall and 4 to 5 meters in circumference. The torch is crafted with a pine log as its core, encased in leafy branches.  This structure is then encased in a bamboo lattice to form the massive torch. Atop the torch, a traditional Japanese umbrella is placed and opened to protect it from rain. Lighting is performed from above, with participants climbing a ladder to ignite the torch.

The festival's origins trace back to the initial enshrinement of the deity at Nagano Jinja Shrine.

According to tradition, the procession escorting the deity to the shrine was delayed until nightfall. In an era without streetlights, local residents lit torches at Nagano Jinja Shrine to guide the way and prevent the procession from losing its path. The successful arrival of the deity, illuminated by these torches, inspired this annual celebration.

 

Location: Hachiman Jinja Shrine

Open to visitors

Sho-Mieku (Kukai Memorial Service)

Sho-Mieku is a memorial service held annually on April 21, corresponding to the 21st day of the 3rd month in the lunar calendar, which marks the anniversary of Kobo Daishi Kukai's passing.

The term Mieku refers to a memorial service in which a portrait of the deceased is displayed and honored. In Shingon Buddhism, this service is particularly significant as it involves hanging a portrait of Kobo Daishi Kukai, the founder of Shingon sect, and performing rituals in his memory.

At Kongoji Temple, Sho-Mieku is a grand ceremony, and preparations begin about a week in advance in collaboration with local residents. Offerings to Kobo Daishi Kukai's portrait include sweet potatoes, soybeans, broccoli, eggplants, fruits, and colorful small rice cakes. Local residents thoughtfully arrange these offerings on trays. These offerings are collectively known as Hyakumi no Onjiki (a hundred flavors of food and drink), symbolizing an abundance of delectable items. While the term Hyakumi (hundred flavors) does not refer to an exact count, it conveys the idea of a large and diverse array of offerings.

 

Location: Kongoji Temple

Open to visitors