U-no-matsuri The Aso shrine's
U-no-matsuri (卯の祭) is a 13-day event that occurs in March to welcome spring and pray for the beginning of the rice planting season. The U-no-matsuri marks the anniversary of Aso shrine's chief deity ''Takeiwatatsu-no-Mikoto's'' arrival in Aso. This event occurred in the second month of the lunar calendar which is March in the current calendar. The shrine's Guuji San perform sacred Shinto music and dances every day of the festival while praying for a rich harvest.
Dai-Himonjiyaki The Daihimonjiyaki (大火文字焼き) is part of the
Noyaki (のやき, burning of the hills) that occurs in Aso, at the beginning of March every year. The hills are burnt to stop the growth of trees allowing the grass to take over, thereby maintaining Aso's famous grasslands. The symbol can be seen from the top of the caldera to the surrounding villages. Fireworks and market stalls are also planned as part of the overall festival. As of the year 2016, after the
Kumamoto earthquake, this event has been discontinued by the city.
Tazukuri Matsuri The Tazukuri Matsuri (田作り祭り) is a week-long festival held at Aso shrine starting from the
Mi no hi, (巳の日, the day of the snake) and continuing on to the
I no hi (亥の, day of the boar). These days are according to the old Japanese calendar and respond to different days on the Gregorian calendar every year. The most notable days within this week is the Hifuri Shinji. The Tazukuri Matsuri is held in accordance with the belief that if the deities of the shrine got married before the rice planting season, the harvest would be rich. Each day of the matsuri corresponds to a wedding event celebrating the marriage of the deities. On day 1 (day of the snake) the male deity who will be the bridegroom and resides in Aso shrine is transferred to a mikoshi (portable shrine) by three Shinto priests and taken to the house of one of the priests of the shrine. On day 4 (day of the monkey) two of the shrine priests go to Yoshimatsu Shrine in Akamizu, Aso, to collect the "shintai" of the bride deity. The "shintai" is an object of worship believed to contain the spirit of a deity. They transfer the bride deity to a mikoshi where they return to Aso shrine. The villagers line up to light her path giving rise to the Hifuri Shinji festival. The last three days of the festival is considered the honeymoon of the deities at the shrine priests house. On the last day of the festival (day 7, day of the boar) seven shrine priests invite the deities to their house where they perform sacred music, rituals and dances. A sacred play is also performed to symbolize the growth of rice.
Hifuri Shinji ,
Kumamoto Prefecture. This is a fire-swinging ritual where bales of hay are lit on fire and swung around by the villagers to welcome the Bride Deity to Aso shrine on the evening of her nuptials. This day falls on the fourth day of the Tazukuri Matsuri week, the
Saru no hi (猿の日, day of the monkey). 4
mikoshi (神輿) containing the Gods, and farming dolls. The Gyouretsu set out from Aso shrine in the morning to walk around the surrounding rice fields where the shrine's Guji San pray for the Gods to bestow their blessings upon the young rice plants. The procession is accompanied by
taiko drums and a ceremonial song, sung by the men in the procession. The Onda Matsuri is held on July 26 and 28 every year. The festivities on the 28th are open to the public and begins in the morning. On the morning of the festival the 12 Gods of Aso, the God of water (水の神) and the God of fire (火の神) are placed into 4
mikoshi (portable shrines) and carried on the shoulders of the men from the village. Following the mikoshi are the shrine priests on horseback as the second set in the lineup. The third set consists of the
unari which are women from the village, clad in white and carrying the food for the Gods on their heads. The food consists of
konbu, rice, and vegetables like eggplant but no meat. Next in the lineup for the procession are young village boys who dress in white and carry dolls on wooden sticks with the faces of an old man and woman and an ox. This represents the old days when rice was planted manually before machinery came into use. The God of navigation (
Sarutahiko no Mikoto) and the Representative of people who plant rice (
Saotome) also join the procession. The procession then goes through the rice fields of the neighbouring village for the crops to receive the blessings of the Gods. The main event is the
Yabusame, which is Japanese archery (弓道,
Kyūdō) performed on horseback. This event was initially performed by the men in the village, however these days, it is performed entirely by the equestrian club of the local Aso Chuo High School.
Kaza-matsuri The Kaza-matsuri is held twice a year; 4 April of the lunar calendar (mid-May now) and 4 July (mid-August now). The festival is held to pray for the protection of the crops from wind damage. At this time of the year, winds are especially strong in Aso which leads to crop damage. The Shrine's Guuji San exorcise the winds by utilizing
Gohei (a ritual for driving away evil winds). The Guuji San drive the winds from Kaza-miya, a shrine which enshrines the deities of the Wind in
Miyaji, Aso, to the one in Teno. The Guuji San follow two different routes to the same destination.
Nemurinagashi The Nemurinagashi is celebrated every year on 6 August. This date corresponds to the mid-summer day where hotter temperatures bring general fatigue on the farmers. On the night of the 6th, the farmers walk around Aso village singing Tauta songs for the last time, in their efforts to banish sleep .
Hitaki Shinji The Guuji San of Aso shrine participate in a ritual at Shimo Shrine from 19 August, to October 19 every year. A young girl from the village is chosen as the "Lighting girl" who conducts the prayer for frost free weather to protect the crops from the curse of
Kihachi. The wood is kept burning in a
hitaki (woodburning den) for 59 days. The origins of the festivals can be traced back 700 years from the
Aso-jinja-shinnoubutsu-chumon-utsusi, an old book detailing the chronicles of Aso shrine. == Mythology of the shrine ==