“Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja festival” Worship the god who remove misfortune and disease, the Emperor of ox head.

Yakumojinja, same as the Yasaka Shrine, Suga Shrine and Susanoo Shrine, are dedicated to Gozu Tenno (Emperor of ox head) – Susanoonomikoto. The name Yakumo(eight clouds) came from the poem sang by Susanoonomikoto ‘Clouds covered the eightfold fence; making the eightfold fence to keep my new wife in the house; great eightfold fence.’.

Medical technology was not advance in ancient time, while plague outbreaks is the worst fear among villagers. Therefore they have no other method but to put faith on the god who remove misfortune and disease, the Emperor of ox head.

Plague is likely to happen around June, as a result the festival held in various locations within similar period.

Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja festival is held on the first Sunday of July during the rainy season. For every three years(2010), they will carry the portable shrine (with a pedestal of 3 feet) around Nakamachi town since 8:30 am.

Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja

Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja festival speech

Transfer the spirit to the portable shrine

Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja festival visiting experience

Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, get off at Kasai station, go to the loop road no.7 with direction towards east kanai , then go south to Nitta Nakamachi, hence turn left and you can see the shrine gate on your right hand side. In In the wide shrine territory, you can see lots of parishioners wearing red tea color short coat waiting for the festival to begin. In addition, there is a large number of school children who are moving around as if it is a school event.

Children are the leaders for the children portable shrine, drum floats and lion heads. It is rare to see so many children wake up on Sunday morning and participate in this festival. At 7:30 am, parishioners gathered in front of the hall of prayer, they conducted festival rituals such as purification ceremony, speech , the sacred Shinto tree branch worship. When it ended they will move to the portable shrine and start the spirit transfer ceremony. The priest started to invite the spirit by repeat the rituals mentioned above. Eventually, people will take off the decoration of the portable shrine, at the altar, the representatives delivery greetings, attention, and cheers hence put back the decoration on the portable shrine.

Lion heads are the beginning of the matrix with a lot of children sticking around; this lion heads looked good and can feel its history. Girls wore black T-shirt are responsible for the float of the drum, it serves as the lead of the portable shrine while knocking on each sides of the drum.

Purify ceremony before the parade

splendid lion head at the front of the matrix

Girls wore black T-shirt is in charge of the the drum float

Kasai Nakamachi Yakumojinja Portable Shrine
The main structure was built upon the 3 feet pedestal which was made by Gyotoku Goto Naomitsu on 1924. It was repaired in 2007.

children portable shrine and adult portable shrine move out of the Shrine

Usually, it is difficult to take a good photo for the children portable shrine as they will be surrounded by children’s parents. Since this festival solely rely on children wore black T-shirt to carry the shrine, I am able to take a photo with clear view on the child portable shrine and facial expression of the children.

Come last is the adult shrines. While being led by gohei(wood stick for worship), the portable shrine will move around the 9 villages and return to the shrine at 5:00 pm.

Child Portable Shrine
Energetic schoolchildren wore black T-shirt was carrying the shrine. Is the number one festival in Tokyo in terms of children participants?

Information

Schedule: 1st Sunday of July
Access: Tokyo Metro Tozai Line Kasai station
Place: Yakumojinja (8-5-12 Higashi-kasai, Edogawa-ku)
Phone: 03-3878-7198