Kanuma Autumn Festival Tours and Travel

Special feature on Japanese festivals and seasonal customs

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Festivals in Kanto and Koshinetsu Area

Kanuma Autumn Festival

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Edo Festivals and Style
A moving Yomeimon-like sculpture float that has been passed down through the generations

The Kanuma Autumn Festival is the annual festival of Imamiya Shrine. More than 20 floats decorated with intricate details reminiscent of the carvings at Nikko Toshogu Shrine Shrine are pulled around. During the Edo period, Kanuma was a post town connecting Edo and Nikko, and it is said that the master carpenters who worked on the carvings at Toshogu Shrine also worked on these carvings.

On Saturday, from around 1pm, the carved floats are "pulled into" the grounds of Imamiya Shrine. In the evening, the floats light their lanterns and "pulled out" back into their own neighborhoods. On Sunday, the carved floats are paraded through the town in a "Yatai Soroi Hiki" parade. On both days, the climax of the festival is a musical performance called "Buttsuke," in which 3-7 floats face off at intersections and other locations, and the enthusiasm of the young men reaches a climax.

Carver: Kamon Kurosaki (far left in the photo)

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When designing the sculptures for the floats, we imagine them moving. At the festival, you can enjoy the different expressions of the sculptures depending on the angle from which you view them. Come and experience this charm for yourself.