• Gangyō-ji •
Niukawakami Shrine Festivals Hatsuichi, which means "first market", is an annual festival in early February. Before supermarkets and other modern conveniences existed, the townspeople gathered every ten days for a market.
Hatsuichi marked the first market of the new lunar year. Over time
Hatsuichi and the local Ebisu Shrine joined in creating the modern festival.
Ebisu is a god of business and one of the seven "lucky gods" derived from China. The Ebisu Shrine is decorated with lanterns, traditional ornaments and colors for the festival, which now marks the annual opening of the shrine. On the afternoon of
Hatsuichi a portable shrine is paraded through the town. In July, the neighboring town of Oyodo hosts the Yoshino-gawa festival, which includes a fireworks display. In early October, the town holds a sports festival in honor of Japan's national
Health and Sports Day. An opening ceremony including fireworks and the lighting of an Olympic-style torch takes place as neighborhoods compete in various games. Prizes are awarded on the neighborhood and town level, and may include items such as bags of rice, bicycles, toaster ovens, heaters, tissues, beer, game systems, and various household items. The town's schools also participate in the event with various dances and performances. The Aki Matsuri (Fall or Autumn Festival) is held in mid- to late October. Activities include a parade of lanterns and drums down the main street to one of the town's temples near the top of a mountain. The town's
bunkasai (cultural festival) also takes place around this time, with numerous performances by townspeople and local school children, as well as displays of calligraphy, pottery, paintings, and flower arrangements by local artists in the town's cultural hall. ==References==