Kasuga Wakamiya On-Matsuri Festival

Overview

Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property held annually from December 15 to 18 at Wakamiya Shrine, located within the precincts of Kasuga Taisha in Nara City, Nara Prefecture. The core rituals take place on December 17, beginning with the Senko no Gi (Transfer Ceremony) at midnight, in which the spirit of Wakamiya no Kami is transferred from the main shrine to the Otabisho (temporary shrine), and ending with the Kanko no Gi (Return Ceremony) late that night, when the deity is returned to the main shrine. During both ceremonies, all lights are extinguished, and participants are strictly prohibited from taking photographs or even using flashlights, preserving a solemn tradition that has been maintained since medieval times.

The festival is a complex event comprising not only the sacred rituals but also the Owatarishiki (Grand Procession) that begins at noon on December 17 and a series of dedicated performances at the Otabisho. The procession features approximately 800 participants representing various groups, including Hinotsukai (imperial messengers), Miko (shrine maidens), Seino to Sumo (rustic entertainment and sumo), Sarugaku (masqued dance), Dengaku (field dance), Bacho no Chigo (horse-attendant children), Keiba (horse racing), Yabusame (mounted archery), Isaseuma (horse-leading), Nodachi (field swordsmen), Yamato Samurai (local warriors), and a Daimyo Gyoretsu (feudal lord procession). The route passes through Nara Prefectural Office, Kintetsu Nara Station, and JR Nara Station before reaching the Otabisho. At the Otabisho, a wide range of traditional performing arts are offered on a turf stage, including sacred kagura music, Azuma Asobi (eastern court dance), Dengaku, Seino, Sarugaku, Bugaku (court dance and music), and Yamato Mai (Yamato dance). These performances serve as an important venue for the transmission of Nanto Gagaku (Southern Capital court music), a tradition that has continued for centuries. The festival developed as a major event reflecting the religious and social order of Yamato Province during the medieval period, and in 1979 the performing arts of Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri were designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, with the Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri Preservation Society established as the official preservation body in 1980.

History and Origins

The origins of Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri are closely tied to the founding of Wakamiya Shrine. The shrine was built on March 27, 1135 (Hoen 1), and the following year, on September 17, 1136 (Hoen 2), Fujiwara no Tadamichi, then Regent (Kampaku), conducted the first Wakamiya Festival. The enshrined deity is Ame no Oshikumone no Mikoto, the child god of Amenokoyane no Mikoto, who is enshrined in the third hall of Kasuga Taisha. According to tradition, the Wakamiya deity first manifested on March 3, 1003 (Choho 5), and in response to this divine appearance, heavy rains and floods ceased, leading to the establishment of an annual festival to pray for abundant harvests and peace for the people.

During the medieval period, the Wakamiya Festival was referred to as On Matsuri by the monks of Kofukuji Temple and was conducted as a major event of Yamato Province within the religious network centered on Kofukuji and Kasuga Taisha. According to one theory, the festival was initiated in 1136 to pray for a successful lawsuit aimed at preventing the imperial court from conducting a land survey of Yamato Province, thereby securing Kofukuji's continued control over the province. During the Kamakura period, local samurai groups known as Shuto and Kokumin (military landholders) also began to participate in the festival, offering Yabusame and other martial arts as part of their service. In the late 13th century, Kofukuji organized these Yamato Samurai into a formal system, integrating the duty of performing mounted archery into the management of temple estates.

In the early modern period, Toyotomi no Hidenaga, the lord of Yamato Province, served as the festival sponsor (shunin) and greatly expanded the scale of the event. He constructed a temporary viewing stand near the Yogo no Matsu (Pine Tree of Manifestation), observed the procession in state, and added 100 mounted warriors and numerous spear-bearers, creating a lavish spectacle. During the Edo period, the Nara Bugyosho (magistrate’s office) supervised the festival, allocating the costs of spear-bearers and horses to feudal lords and high-ranking shogunal retainers within the Kinai region, while the bugyosho itself contributed 200 ryo for the Oshukusho (Great Lodging). At the Matsu no Shita Shiki (Under the Pine Tree Ceremony), the Nara magistrate sat in formal observation of the procession, continuing the tradition of samurai authority dominating the festival.

With the Meiji Restoration, the separation of Shinto and Buddhism and the reorganization of shrine and temple systems made it extremely difficult to maintain the festival in the early Meiji period. However, through the cooperation of former shrine domain villages and other related communities, the Wakamiya Festival was revived in 1889 (Meiji 22). From 1900 (Meiji 33), it became a municipal festival of Nara City and received city funding, and with the opening of the Osaka Electric Tramway (now Kintetsu) in 1914, efforts to attract tourists increased. After Japan's defeat in 1945, the Allied Occupation's Shinto Directive caused administrative support to cease, but a local tourism entrepreneur named Tanii Tomisaburo contributed his personal funds and negotiated with the Occupation forces in Nara to ensure the festival took place in 1946. The following year, he again donated 100,000 yen to support the event, and in 1949, with his efforts, the Nara City Tourism Association was formed, cooperating with the Hoshankai (supporters' association) and the Nara Chamber of Commerce and Industry to sustain the festival.

On February 3, 1979 (Showa 54), the performing arts of Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri were designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, and the following year the Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri Preservation Society was established as the official preservation organization. In 1985, the festival celebrated its 850th anniversary and was widely introduced through television broadcasts and public Bugaku performances. Entering the 21st century, the effects of climate change turned what had historically been snowfall into rain, causing damage to the procession equipment and costumes in 1996. In response, a rain protocol was established stipulating that the Owatarishiki procession should be shortened or altered in the event of heavy rain. In 2020 and 2021, the procession was scaled down to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and similar flexible measures have continued in response to weather and social conditions.

Highlights

Senko no Gi (Transfer Ceremony)

The Senko no Gi takes place at midnight on December 17 and is the sacred rite of transferring the spirit of Wakamiya no Kami from the main shrine of Wakamiya Shrine to the Otabisho (temporary shrine). Following an ancient procedure, all lights along the approach path are extinguished, and Shinto priests surround the divine spirit with sakaki branches while continuously chanting Wo-Wo as a form of keihitsu (sacred warning). Because the ceremony is conducted in complete darkness, participants are not allowed to take photographs or even turn on flashlights, preserving a mystical atmosphere that has remained unchanged since the medieval period.

Kanko no Gi (Return Ceremony)

This ceremony returns the deity from the Otabisho to the main shrine, departing at 11:00 p.m. on December 17 and arriving by midnight. As with the Senko no Gi, all lights and photography are prohibited, and the path is purified by two large torches and burning aloeswood (jinko) at the front of the procession. The priests again surround the divine spirit with sakaki branches and chant keihitsu as they proceed, while musicians play Kyounraku, a piece of Michigaku (processional music). The sight of the procession advancing through the darkness accompanied by sacred music is one of the festivals most profound spectacles, embodying a unique and ancient ritual method that is rarely seen elsewhere.

Owatarishiki (Grand Procession)

Beginning at around noon on December 17, the grand procession departs from in front of the Nara Prefectural Office and proceeds through the areas around Kintetsu Nara Station and JR Nara Station before heading to the Otabisho. Approximately 800 participants take part, representing groups such as Hinotsukai, Miko, Seino and Sumo, Sarugaku, Dengaku, Bacho no Chigo, Keiba, Yabusame, Isaseuma, Nodachi, Yamato Samurai, and a Daimyo Gyoretsu, each wearing traditional costumes and performing characteristic dances or displays. When the procession reaches the Yogo no Matsu (Pine Tree of Manifestation) located south of the first torii gate, the accompanying performing groups each present a prescribed dance or piece, marking a place said to be the model for the pine tree painted on the back panel of Noh stages, with a legend that Kasuga Daimyojin once danced Banzeiraku there in the guise of an old man.

Otabisho Sai (Festival at the Temporary Shrine)

After the procession arrives at the Otabisho, a series of dedicated performances are presented on the turf stage, beginning around 2:30 p.m. and continuing late into the night. The program includes sacred kagura, Azuma Asobi, Dengaku, Seino, Sarugaku, Bugaku performed by the Nanto Gakuso (Southern Capital Music Society), and Yamato Mai. Prior to the Bugaku, a ceremony known as Konparu no Rachiake is conducted, in which a Konparu school Noh actor unties white paper attached to a brushwood fence, symbolically opening the sacred space. While general public entry into the Otabisho itself is restricted during the festival, visitors can watch all performances free of charge from the approach path.

Matsu no Shita Shiki (Under the Pine Tree Ceremony)

At the Yogo no Matsu, located on a platform south of the first torii gate, the procession halts briefly while Sarugaku and Dengaku performers present set dances. This pine tree is traditionally considered the source of the pine painted on the back panel of Noh stages, with a legend that Kasuga Daimyojin appeared as an old man and danced Banzeiraku there. Historically, two young boys known as Toya no Chigo, selected from the scholar-monks of Kofukuji, along with the Nanto Bugyo (Southern Capital magistrate), would oversee this ceremony, and in recent years this important role has been revived.

Nandaimon Kyomyo no Gi (Great South Gate Name-Confirming Ceremony)

This ceremony takes place when the procession arrives at the Nandaimon (Great South Gate) of Kasuga Taisha, where the Toya no Chigo and the Nanto Bugyo formally acknowledge the participants. In the past, two Toya no Chigo were selected from among the scholar-monks of Kofukuji to serve as inspectors, a role that affirmed the formal hierarchical order of the festival. Having been revived in modern times, this ceremony offers a valuable glimpse into the administrative structure of the medieval festival.

Event Information and Access

• Schedule: December 15-18 each year. December 15 includes Oshukusho Mairi (1:00 p.m.), Miyudate (2:30, 4:30, 6:00 p.m.), and Oshukusho Sai (5:00 p.m.). December 16 features Yamato Samurai Yoiya Mairi (around 2:30 p.m.), Dengakuza Yoiya Mairi (around 3:00 p.m.), and Yoiya Sai (4:00 p.m.). December 17 is the main day with Senko no Gi (midnight), Akatsuki no Matsuri (1:00 a.m.), Honden Sai (9:00 a.m.), Owatarishiki (noon), Nandaimon Kyomyo no Gi (around 12:50 p.m.), Matsu no Shita Shiki (around 1:00 p.m.), Keiba (around 2:00 p.m.), Otabisho Sai (2:30-10:30 p.m.), and Kanko no Gi (11:00 p.m.). December 18 features Hosumo Sumo (1:00 p.m.) and Kyoen Noh (2:00 p.m.).
• Location: Kasuga Taisha precincts, Kasugano-cho, Nara City, Nara Prefecture. The Otabisho is set up between the first and second torii gates along the Kasuga Taisha approach, south of the Nara National Museum.
• Access: Approximately 10 minutes by Nara Kotsu bus from Kintetsu Nara Station bound for Kasuga Taisha Honden, alighting at Kasuga Taisha Omotesando and walking about 10 minutes. Service also available from JR Nara Station. On foot, it is about 30 minutes from Kintetsu Nara Station.
• Important Notes: During the Senko no Gi and Kanko no Gi, all lighting, cell phone illumination, photography, and video recording are strictly prohibited. During the Otabisho Sai, general visitor access to the Otabisho area may be restricted.
• Weather Policy: In the event of heavy rain, the Owatarishiki procession may be shortened or altered in accordance with the rain protocol. For the most up-to-date information on whether events will proceed as planned, consult the official Kasuga Taisha website.
• Admission: Viewing the Owatarishiki along the procession route is free. The Otabisho Sai performances can be viewed free of charge from the approach path, although paid reserved seating may be available when stands are set up.
• Important Notice: Schedules and event details are subject to change. Always check the official Kasuga Taisha or Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri Preservation Society sources for the latest information before visiting.

Surrounding Area

The main sanctuary of Kasuga Taisha is the center of the shrine precincts where Wakamiya Shrine is located, and its vermilion-lacquered halls are designated National Treasures. The approach paths are lined with thousands of stone lanterns and hanging bronze lanterns, which create a fantastical atmosphere when illuminated during the festival season. Wakamiya Shrine itself stands a short distance from the main shrine, and walking along the path taken by the Owatarishiki procession allows visitors to immerse themselves in a sacred landscape that has been maintained since ancient times.

The UNESCO World Heritage sites of Todaiji Temple and Kofukuji Temple are within walking distance of Kasuga Taisha. Todaijis Great Buddha Hall is one of the most iconic sights in Nara, and it attracts many visitors who come both for the On Matsuri and for general sightseeing. Kofukuji Temple, with its five-story pagoda, is a beloved symbol of Nara, and the National Treasure Hall on its grounds houses priceless Buddhist statues, including the famous Ashura figure.

Nara Park is home to approximately 1,200 deer, which roam freely and can be fed by visitors. December tends to be a relatively quiet season for tourism, making it an ideal time for a peaceful stroll through the park between festival events. The Naramachi district, with its traditional townhouses converted into cafes and galleries, provides excellent places to rest and refresh after watching the long procession. The Nara National Museum, located just south of the Otabisho, serves as a backdrop for the procession route and is a popular spot for photography, with the imposing building creating a striking contrast against the rows of historical costumes.

Related Information

• National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property: The performing arts of Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri were so designated on February 3, 1979. The official preservation body is the Kasuga Wakamiya On Matsuri Preservation Society, established in 1980.
• Nanto Gakuso (Southern Capital Music Society): The organization responsible for performing Bugaku at the Otabisho Sai. It was legally incorporated in 1968 and receives support from the Kasuga Kenshokai Foundation, playing a central role in the preservation and transmission of Nanto Gagaku.
• Oshukusho (Great Lodging): A facility where the ganju (sponsors) of the festival would undergo ritual purification and prepare before participating. Its function and institutional framework changed over the centuries from medieval to modern times, but it remained a key base for festival administration.
• Tanii Tomisaburo: A Nara tourism entrepreneur who used his personal funds to ensure the festival was held in 1946 and 1947 after Occupation directives cut off official support. He founded the Nara City Tourism Association in 1949 and worked tirelessly with the Hoshankai and the Nara Chamber of Commerce to continue the tradition.
• Fujiwara no Tadamichi: The Kampaku (Regent) credited with initiating the Wakamiya Festival. He visited Kasuga Taisha and called upon Wakamiya Shrine on March 4, 1136, and conducted the first Wakamiya Festival on September 17 of the same year, establishing it as a permanent annual event. He also oversaw the reconstruction of the Wakamiya Shrine building.
• Yogo no Matsu (Pine Tree of Manifestation): A pine tree located on a platform inside the first torii gate, said to be the model for the pine painted on Noh stage backdrops. According to legend, Kasuga Daimyojin descended here in the guise of an old man and danced Banzeiraku. During the Owatarishiki, each performing group presents a set dance in front of this tree.
• Yabusame and the Yamato Samurai: During the medieval period, local samurai from Yamato Province participated in the festival as yabusame ganju (sponsors of mounted archery). In the late 13th century, Kofukuji organized these warriors into a formal system called Yamato Samurai, integrating the duty of performing yabusame into the management of temple estates.
• Rain Protocol: Established after damage from rain in 1996 replaced what had traditionally been snowfall due to climate change. This protocol stipulates that the Owatarishiki procession may be shortened, and some performances may be simplified, in the event of heavy precipitation.

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