A Festival Rooted in Ancient Kumano Worship
The Nachi Fan Festival is much more than a traditional fire festival. At its heart is a sacred ceremony symbolizing the annual return of the deities of Kumano Nachi Taisha to their original sacred dwelling at Nachi Falls.
Since ancient times, the 133-meter-high Nachi Falls itself has been worshipped as a sacred manifestation of nature. Long before the present shrine complex was established on the mountainside, people regarded the waterfall as a divine presence.
The festival preserves this ancient form of nature worship. During the ceremony, twelve fan-shaped portable shrines, each believed to embody one of the twelve principal deities of Kumano, are carried from the main shrine toward Hiro Shrine at the base of Nachi Falls.
The procession symbolically represents the deities returning to the sacred waterfall. The ritual expresses both reverence for nature and prayers for renewal, fertility, and the continuation of life.
A Mystical Celebration of Fire and Water
The Nachi Fan Festival is sometimes described as a “festival of fire and water.” These two elements play an important symbolic role in the ceremony.
Nachi Falls represents water, the source of life and a sacred force of nature. In contrast, the enormous torches carried during the festival represent fire, a powerful force associated with purification, vitality, and renewal.
In traditional Japanese beliefs, fire and water were both regarded as essential natural forces. Their harmonious combination symbolizes the cycle of life and the restoration of spiritual energy.
At the climax of the ceremony, the fan-shaped portable shrines pass through a dramatic display of fire and are purified by the flames. The ritual is associated with the renewal of the deities and prayers for abundant harvests, prosperity, and the well-being of the local community.
The contrast between the roaring flames and the pure water cascading down Nachi Falls creates an unforgettable landscape found nowhere else.
The Twelve Magnificent Fan-Shaped Portable Shrines
The most distinctive feature of the Nachi Fan Festival is its unusual fan-shaped portable shrines, known as ogi mikoshi.
Unlike ordinary Japanese portable shrines, these structures are exceptionally tall and slender, measuring approximately 6 to 10 meters in height. Their shape is traditionally said to represent the towering form of Nachi Falls.
Each portable shrine is decorated with numerous fans featuring gold backgrounds and red Japanese sun motifs. White bronze mirrors and other decorative elements add to their brilliant appearance.
There are twelve portable shrines, symbolizing the twelve months of the year as well as the twelve deities of Kumano.
The Symbolism of the Fan
The fan has long held symbolic significance in Japanese culture. Its movement creates wind, which has traditionally been associated with driving away evil influences and inviting good fortune.
For this reason, the fan-shaped shrines are important ritual objects used in prayers for fertility, abundance, prosperity, and protection. Their distinctive appearance also makes the procession one of the most visually impressive traditional festivals in Japan.
The Eve of the Festival: Yoimiya Ceremony
On July 13, the day before the main festival, the Yoimiya Ceremony is held as a preparation for the following day’s sacred events.
Traditional performances including Yamato-mai, Nachi Dengaku, and Taue-mai are presented in the shrine’s ceremonial hall. These performances help prepare the sacred space and welcome the deities before the main procession.
The sounds of traditional flutes and drums echoing through the quiet shrine grounds create an atmospheric introduction to the spectacular ceremony that follows the next day.
The Grand Procession of the Fan Shrines
On July 14, the main festival begins with sacred rituals at Kumano Nachi Taisha. Traditional dances are performed, including Yamato-mai, Taue-mai, and Nachi Dengaku.
In the afternoon, the central event of the festival begins: the procession of the twelve fan-shaped portable shrines.
The shrines, carrying the sacred spirits of the deities, begin their journey accompanied by distinctive traditional chants. The people who carry the fan shrines are known as ogi-sashi, and the responsibility is passed down through local traditions.
The procession slowly makes its way toward Hiro Shrine, accompanied by Shinto priests, musicians, and bearers carrying the enormous torches.
The Ogi-date Ritual
At a location known as Fushimi, the twelve fan-shaped shrines are raised one by one in a ceremony known as Ogi-date.
The enormous structures stand in an orderly arrangement, allowing worshippers and spectators to appreciate their impressive height and elaborate decorations. This is one of the most visually striking moments of the procession.
Ohi Gyōji: The Festival’s Dramatic Fire Ritual
The undisputed highlight of the Nachi Fan Festival is the spectacular Ohi Gyōji, or Fire Ritual.
When the flames are lit on twelve enormous torches, each weighing more than 50 kilograms, the torch bearers carry them up and down the stone steps while swinging the blazing torches with great strength.
Huge flames rise into the air and showers of sparks scatter across the approach to the shrine. The sacred procession is transformed into a breathtaking spectacle of light, heat, and movement.
The enormous torches form a circle around the fan-shaped portable shrines and symbolically purify them through the power of fire.
The bearers of the fan shrines open their fans and use them to fan the flames, adding another symbolic connection between fire, wind, and the sacred presence of the deities.
The sight of the massive flames and sparks rising against the daytime sky is extraordinarily powerful. This dramatic ritual is the reason the festival is widely known as the Nachi Fire Festival and represents the emotional climax of the day’s ceremonies.
Nachi Dengaku: A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Another important feature of the festival is Nachi Dengaku, a traditional performing art presented as part of the ceremonies.
Nachi Dengaku combines traditional instruments and movements, including flutes, waist drums, and sasara, a traditional percussion instrument. The performances preserve many elements of their historical form and are divided into a series of 21 sections.
The tradition is believed to date back to the Muromachi Period. Although it experienced interruptions throughout history, local communities continued to preserve and transmit the performances from generation to generation.
In 1976, Nachi Dengaku was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan. In 2012, it was also inscribed as part of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The performances traditionally express prayers for abundant harvests while also preserving important elements of the mountain ascetic traditions and spiritual culture associated with Kumano.
A Festival of Outstanding Cultural Value
The Nachi Fan Festival has exceptional historical and cultural importance and is carefully preserved as part of Japan’s traditional cultural heritage.
The Nachi Fire Festival is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, recognizing its significance as one of the country’s outstanding traditional religious ceremonies.
Numerous objects, ritual implements, documents, and other materials associated with the festival have also been preserved as cultural assets. Together, they provide valuable insight into the religious traditions and cultural history of the Nachi area.
A Spectacular Summer Tradition in Kumano
Held every year on July 14, the Nachi Fan Festival attracts worshippers and visitors from across Japan and around the world.
The combination of ancient Kumano spirituality, enormous flaming torches, elegant traditional performances, magnificent fan-shaped shrines, and the spectacular natural setting of Nachi Falls creates an experience that is difficult to find anywhere else in Japan.
The festival has survived for centuries thanks to the dedication of local communities and their commitment to preserving ancient religious traditions. It offers visitors a rare opportunity to experience the deep connection between nature, spirituality, traditional performing arts, and community life that lies at the heart of Kumano culture.
When visiting Nachikatsuura, consider experiencing the Nachi Fan Festival and the surrounding sacred sites of Kumano. The sight of enormous flames surrounding towering fan-shaped shrines against the backdrop of Nachi Falls provides an unforgettable introduction to one of Japan’s oldest and most fascinating spiritual traditions.