Hōran-en'ya

Overview

Horan-enya is the popular name for the Shikinen Shinkosai, the periodic sacred procession festival of Matsue Jozan Inari Shrine held in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture. It is one of the largest boat festivals in Japan and is held only once every ten years. Together with the Tenjin Festival of Osaka and the Kangen-sai of Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima, it is counted among the Three Great Boat Festivals of Japan, and it carries a history of roughly 370 years. A shikinen shinkosai is a rite in which a deity's spirit is carried to a temporary resting place at fixed intervals; Horan-enya was at one time held every twelve years but has since returned to its original ten-year cycle.

The festival unfolds over nine days and consists of three principal rites. The Togyo-sai carries the sacred spirit of Jozan Inari Shrine by a fleet of boats to the resting shrine, Adakaya Shrine. The Chunichi-sai, held at the midpoint of a seven-day period of grand prayer, features the dedication of the kaidenma dance. The Kangyo-sai then returns the sacred spirit by boat fleet to Jozan Inari Shrine. The sight of more than one hundred lavishly decorated boats advancing along the waterways of Matsue is celebrated as a grand aquatic pageant fitting for a city known as the City of Water.

History and Origins

The origins of Horan-enya trace back to the era of Matsudaira Naomasa, the first lord of the Matsue Matsudaira domain. In the first year of the Keian era (1648), the tenth year after Naomasa entered Matsue, Izumo Province faced the crisis of a severe crop failure. In response, Naomasa had the sacred spirit of Jozan Inari Shrine carried by boat to Adakaya Shrine, where he served concurrently as priest, and held a long period of grand prayer for an abundant harvest. This boat-borne procession is regarded as the beginning of Horan-enya, and it has since been handed down as a periodic sacred rite praying for good harvests and peace. That the festival was born against the backdrop of the pressing crisis of famine bound it deeply to the faith of the local people, sustaining its long tradition.

The heart of the festival is borne by five districts in eastern Matsue: Makata, Yada, Oi, Fukutomi, and Omisaki, collectively known as the Godaichi, or Five Great Districts. The Godaichi take on the role of launching the kaidenma boats that tow the sacred palanquin boat, and each district has preserved its own distinctive songs and dances. This division of roles and friendly rivalry among the community has become the driving force behind the festival's splendor and unity.

The kaidenma dance, the highlight of the festival, has its own origin story. It is said to have begun in the fifth year of the Bunka era (1808), when Makata rescued the sacred palanquin boat and safely delivered it to Adakaya Shrine, celebrating the feat with a rowing dance. Later, during the Koka era (1844-47), the districts received instruction in the kaidenma dance then popular around Niigata, and from the Kaei to the Ansei eras (1848-1859) they learned rowing and sai-furi dances from a man named Juzo of Kaga in Shimane. Each district then added its own arrangements, developing the varied dances seen today.

In recent years, in 2021, Horan-enya was designated by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property for which measures such as documentation should be taken, recognizing its cultural value at the national level. The kaidenma dance itself is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Matsue City, positioning it as a traditional performing art safeguarded and handed down by the community.

Highlights

The grand boat procession　The greatest highlight is the great boat procession staged during the Togyo-sai and Kangyo-sai. Beginning with the palanquin boat carrying the sacred spirit, the fleet numbers more than one hundred boats, and a great flotilla stretching over one kilometer advances along the Ohashi River, Nakaumi, and Iu River. The sight of gorgeously decorated boats filling the water surface is called an aquatic arena, a special scene that can be witnessed only once every ten years.

The bold poses of the kengai　At the prow of the kaidenma boats, dancers in flamboyant kabuki-style costumes perform the kengai. Striking grand poses at the tip of the boat, their bravery is stirring, and the skill of performing while keeping balance on a rocking vessel captivates spectators. The movements, drawing on the conventions of kabuki, lend the festival the dignity and spectacle of a performing art.

The dance of the sai-furi　At the stern of the boat, cross-dressed dancers perform the sai-furi. Twisting their bodies gracefully as they wave the sai wand, their elegant figures add a splendor that pairs with the valiant kengai. By having the strength of the kengai and the grace of the sai-furi share a single boat, the kaidenma dance becomes a richly varied and compelling performance.

The kaidenma dance and boat songs　About fifty people board each Godaichi kaidenma boat, dedicating the kaidenma dance on board in time with the boat songs and drums of Horan-enya. The name Horan-enya is said to derive from the call-and-response chant of the rowers, with the lead singer's cry of Hora answered by the rowers' Enya. The competing songs and dances unique to each district are another highlight.

Makata's giant kaidenma boat　Among the kaidenma boats, Makata's is the largest, measuring an impressive fifteen meters in length and three meters in width, with eight oars on each side. A golden sacred jewel adorns the top of the mast, and the sight of colorful banners and streamers fluttering is magnificent. The great boat advancing with its oars in unison symbolizes the united strength of the Five Great Districts.

The land-boat procession of the Chunichi-sai　During the Chunichi-sai, the Godaichi dancers transfer to wheeled land-boats and proceed overland to Adakaya Shrine. That the kaidenma dance is performed not only on water but also on land is a distinctive feature of Horan-enya, and this composite form is valued as rare among boat festivals across Japan. It is also a precious opportunity to view the dances up close.

Event Information and Access

Horan-enya is held once every ten years over nine days in mid-to-late May. Most recently it was held from May 18 to 26, 2019, and the next is scheduled for 2029. Because of the rarity of a once-in-a-decade occasion, the festival years draw many visitors to Matsue from across the country. The venue extends from Jozan Inari Shrine (Tonomachi, Matsue City) to the resting shrine, Adakaya Shrine (Izumogo, Higashiizumo-cho, Matsue City), along the Ohashi River, Nakaumi, and Iu River.

Because the festival is a periodic rite held every ten years, please be sure to check the official announcements of Matsue City and the organizing bodies for detailed dates, routes, and viewing information as the next occasion approaches. Jozan Inari Shrine stands within the grounds of Matsue Castle, a national treasure, in the central district of Matsue. JR Matsue Station serves as the gateway to the city, and the Matsue-Chuo ramp of the Sanin Expressway is also convenient. The history of the festival and the traditions of the Five Great Districts can be learned year-round through video and exhibits at the Matsue Horan-enya Museum, which opened in 2012.

Around the Area

Matsue is known as the City of Water, nestled between Lake Shinji and Nakaumi, with canals threading through the city and the atmosphere of a castle town remaining strong. Matsue Castle, where Jozan Inari Shrine is enshrined and which forms the stage of Horan-enya, is one of Japan's surviving original keeps and is designated a national treasure, offering views of the castle town and Lake Shinji from its top. Even outside the festival season, a ride on the Horikawa sightseeing boat lets visitors enjoy from the water part of the waterway along which the Horan-enya boats advance.

Higashiizumo-cho, where the resting shrine Adakaya is located, is also known as a producer of dried persimmons, and in autumn the scene of persimmons hung under the eaves spreads out. Matsue is also a place associated with Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo), and the Shiomi Nawate street is lined with samurai residences and the Lafcadio Hearn Memorial Museum. The sunset over Lake Shinji is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Japan, and together with the festival one can savor the charm of the City of Water.

As for Matsue's cuisine, the Seven Delicacies of Lake Shinji, including sea bass, whitebait, eel, and freshwater clams, are famous. In particular, miso soup made with yamato-shijimi clams is cherished as a taste representative of Matsue. Along with Izumo soba and local sake, visitors can enjoy the food culture of the Sanin region.

Related Information

• Official name: Matsue Jozan Inari Shrine Shikinen Shinkosai (popularly, Horan-enya)
• Location: Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture (Jozan Inari Shrine to Adakaya Shrine / Ohashi River, Nakaumi, Iu River)
• Cycle: once every ten years, nine days in mid-to-late May
• Status: one of the Three Great Boat Festivals of Japan (with the Tenjin Festival and the Itsukushima Kangen-sai)
• Origin: the boat procession and grand prayer by Matsudaira Naomasa in 1648 (Keian 1)
• Five Great Districts: Makata, Yada, Oi, Fukutomi, Omisaki
• Cultural property: 2021 Agency for Cultural Affairs record selection / the kaidenma dance is a Matsue City Intangible Folk Cultural Property

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