別ウィンドウで開きます
更新日：2009年3月31日
The main festival of the Owaritsushima Tenno Festival is counted among the three of Japan’s Great River Festivals (Asa Matsuri). Ichieguruma from Aisai City take part.
The origins of the Tsushima Festival are said to lie in “During the Bunchi period, the country was in great disarray, the services at the Tsushima Shrine were not performed properly, plague ravished the land and the people were surrounded with adversity. A wealthy clan named Kuromiya Shuri lived on Shiejima. When some of their retainers and workers returned from mowing the grass, they boarded a boat. At that time, one of the workers had a vision and said “Since the services held on 15 June are a festival for our country’s wellbeing, good fortune in war and protection from disaster and disease, be sure to do it”. Everyone present was very surprised, and as a result of discussions, they decorated the cabin of the boat, played instruments and danced before God and the plague disappeared”.
(Danjiri has been designated as a Prefectural Cultural Asset)
The Sendohira Lock is in Sendohira Kasen Park which has an area of 1.55 hectares. This lock is one of the few locks in Japan from the Meiji Period which is still in use. Since the system of interlocking locks is the earliest example in Japan and was constructed modern components, such as building frames and gates, and building methods, on May 25, 2000, it was designated as an important Cultural Asset.
The great festival held in spring at the Shobata Shrine has been called the “Okawa Festival” since a barrel of okawai (rice with red beans) was given as an offering. The festival is held each year on the second Monday in March.
This also has the meaning that the deity here is thought to partake of his meal together with the locals and therefore they share good fortune.
The festival was entered onto the Register of Intangible Folk Cultural Assets on January 19, 2007.
The Suzuki Family made their fortune as a land owner from the Edo Period and during the Meiji Period, Santaro of the family was active as a politician representing the region holding posts such as a member of the prefectural assembly and a member of the House of Representatives. With sturdy construction which withstood the Nobi earthquake of 1891, the house has a characteristic main building, storehouse, rice granary, gate and wall and was entered into the national register of cultural assets on December 7, 2007.