Introduction to Shimanto Festivals in Shimanto City, Kochi Prefecture This introduces the local festivals that have been held in Shimanto City since long ago. 〇 Nakamura Region About 550 years ago, Norifusa Ichijo came down from Kyoto to the Nakamura Region, and many historic sites remain there, including streets and place names modeled after Kyoto. In the Nakamura Region, many festivals are held, including those associated with Tosa Ichijo. 1-1 Tosa Ichijo Kuge Gyoretsu (Fuji Matsuri) This event reenacts the arrival of Norifusa Ichijo, who left Kyoto in 1468 and took residence at Nakamura Gosho to restore the Hata manor, marking the foundations of Shimanto City. Modeled on Kyoto’s Aoi Matsuri court procession, the parade features a total of about 200 participants dressed in Muromachi Period costumes who march through the city. The colorful costumes, matching each role, unfold like a living historical picture. 1-2 Shimanto Citizen Festival The Shimanto Citizen Festival announces summer in Little Kyoto Nakamura. Organized mainly by the Shimanto Citizen Festival Executive Committee, a group of local volunteers, the festival includes citizen-participation events such as the Nakamura Dance parade and the lantern float parade. In particular, the powerful performance of the lantern floats, lit and paraded through the streets, offers inventive displays by each participating group and is well worth seeing. 1-3 All-Japan Jorogumo Sumo Tournament Long loved as a children’s summer pastime, this event is held on the first Saturday of August at Ichijo Shrine, located on a hill in the city center, as a summer memory for the children. Nationwide, this traditional event survives only in Shimanto City Nakamura and Kajiki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture. 1-4 Daimonji Bonfire The Daimonji Bonfire is an Obon custom in the Misaki district, Shimanto City, and a seasonal symbol that signals the end of summer in Little Kyoto Nakamura. On the 16th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the slope of Todaijiyama (locally called Mt. Dainoji), where the mountain deity is worshipped, is carved into the shape of the character “大” and torches gathered from each household in the district are placed and burned. According to tradition, Fusaie, the son of Norifusa Ichijo, began this practice to console the spirits of Norifusa and his grandfather Kaneyoshi and to reminisce about Kyoto. Today, the event is run by local residents and delights many spectators as the "fire associated with Ichijo." 1-5 Shimanto Summer Fireworks Festival The Shimanto Citizen Festival, which heralds summer in Little Kyoto Nakamura, concludes with the Shimanto Summer Fireworks Festival, where music and fireworks perform together and a spectrum of colorful shells blaze into the sky. The fireworks reflected in the waters of the Shimanto River, called "Japan’s last clear stream," are simply exquisite. 1-6 Fuwa Hachimangu Grand Festival The Fuwa Hachimangu Grand Festival features the famous "marriage of the gods," with portable shrines of the male and female deities. After the male deity’s mikoshi, paraded through the town, awaits at Hachiman Shrine and the female deity’s mikoshi arrives, rituals such as the joining of the shrines are performed. This marriage ceremony of the deities is a rare ritual nationwide, said to have been started by Ichijo-ko, who enshrined the shrine, to discourage the then-common practice of abduction marriages. 1-7 Ichijo Grand Festival Since the establishment of Ichijo Shrine in the center of Shimanto City in 1862, this major festival has been held every year and represents Shimanto City. During the festival period, the sacred flame brought from Kyoto is displayed and many events, including a procession of children in historical costume, take place. 〇 Nishitosa Region The Nishitosa Region, located upstream in Shimanto City, features scattered riverside settlements and a peaceful landscape. In Nishitosa, traditional festivals passed down through generations are held in each district. 2-1 Iwama Boat Festival This ritual takes place at the summer festival of Iwama Tenmangu Shrine, when a mikoshi is placed on a boat and carried across the Shimanto River for a ceremony on the riverbank of the Kayou area. 2-2 Kondani Nembutsu Odori This Obon memorial ritual has been passed down in the Nishitosa Gonotani area of Shimanto City since around 1665. Bells and drums accompany the chanting of nembutsu, torches are lit on the riverbank for a water festival, and segaki memorial services and rites for newly deceased are performed. 2-3 Tachibana Mikoshi Boat Crossing In the Tachibana district, two shrines—Yasaka Shrine and Shiraiwa Shrine—face each other across the river, and on the eve of the autumn festival the sacred object is transported by boat from Shiraiwa Shrine to Yasaka Shrine. On the day of the autumn festival, after the rituals are held, the sacred object returns to Shiraiwa Shrine together with the mikoshi. 2-4 Hage Autumn Festival At the Hage Autumn Festival held at Hage Tenmangu Shrine, young people and children parade across the submersible bridge with the ox demon, mikoshi, and the flower-picking dance. The flower-picking dance is then performed on the shrine grounds. 2-5 Itsushika Odori Itsushika Odori is a traditional dance passed down through generations by local children and is dedicated at Kotohiragu Shrine during the Kotohira Festival in Nishitosanishikagata, Shimanto City.