The Eight Elaborately Decorated Kasahoko Floats
One of the most impressive features of the Tanabe Festival is the procession of eight kasahoko floats, locally known as “Okasa.” These traditional floats are associated with the merchant districts of the former Tanabe castle town and are carefully preserved by local communities.
During the festival, the beautifully decorated floats travel through the city accompanied by the sounds of drums, flutes, shamisen, and bells. The procession creates a lively atmosphere while also offering visitors a glimpse into the traditional culture of Tanabe.
The festival includes many other historic events, including the mikoshi procession, shio-gori purification ritual, entrance into Tokei Shrine, and yabusame, a traditional mounted archery ceremony. Together, these events preserve customs that have been practiced in Tanabe for centuries.
A Long History of the Tanabe Festival
The history of the Tanabe Festival can be traced back several centuries. Historical records from the early Edo period contain references to festival processions and horseback ceremonies. Records from 1605 and 1607, for example, mention decorated festival vehicles and mounted archers taking part in events organized by the town.
These records indicate that the festival was already an important community celebration in the early seventeenth century. Even after Tokugawa Yorinobu became lord of the Kishu domain and Tanabe came under the rule of the Ando family, the festival continued to develop.
In 1672, the base of a float belonging to Fukuro-machi was reportedly changed to a wheeled structure. The following year, other floats in the town were also fitted with wheels. These developments are thought to have contributed to the form of the float procession that can be seen today.
The festival was originally held on June 24 and 25 according to the old Japanese calendar. Its dates were changed to July 24 and 25 in 1907, and this schedule has continued to the present day.
Because of its historical and cultural importance, the Tanabe Festival has been designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Wakayama Prefecture.
The Festival’s Famous “Okasa” Floats
The Okasa floats are the visual symbol of the Tanabe Festival. Each float belongs to one of the historic neighborhoods of the former castle town, and local residents have carefully preserved their individual designs and traditions.
Neighborhoods including Honmachi, Fukuro-machi, Konya-machi, Katamachi, Sakae-machi, Kitashin-machi, Minamishin-machi, and Egawa-machi each present their own Okasa during the festival.
Every float features a distinctive decorative figure or object on its upper section. Honmachi displays the traditional figures of the elderly couple Jō and Uba, while Fukuro-machi features Prince Yamato Takeru. Katamachi uses figures such as Guan Yu and Empress Jingū, while Sakae-machi features Shōjō and a depiction of Empress Jingū with Takenouchi no Sukune.
Kitashin-machi is known for its mochi-bana, decorative branches adorned with colorful rice-cake shapes. Egawa-machi is particularly distinctive because it presents two kasahoko floats, decorated with the figures of Ebisu and Daikoku, two popular Japanese deities associated with prosperity and good fortune.
Traditional Music Creates a Festive Atmosphere
Musicians ride inside the lower sections of the floats and perform traditional festival music. Their instruments include taiko drums, smaller drums, flutes, shamisen, and traditional bells.
Each neighborhood has its own musical style and repertoire. As the floats move through the streets, the lively sounds of the instruments fill the historic town, creating an atmosphere that is both festive and deeply rooted in local tradition.
The Mikoshi Procession on the Festival Eve
The evening of July 24, known as the festival eve, begins with the mikoshi procession from Tokei Shrine. A mikoshi is a portable Shinto shrine that symbolically carries the deity during a festival procession.
The procession travels through the city toward an otabisho, a temporary sacred resting place established near Egawa Fishing Port. Three horses ridden by children wearing traditional hunting-style garments and ceremonial makeup also join the procession.
The Shio-gori Purification Ritual
At the otabisho, religious ceremonies are performed for the mikoshi, horses, and festival floats. One of the important rituals is shio-gori, a purification ceremony associated with seawater.
After the religious ceremonies, the Okasa floats return to the city streets. They stop at locations associated with their respective neighborhoods and perform ceremonial duties known as “otsutome.”
Red Lanterns Reflected on the Aizu River
One of the most beautiful sights of the festival takes place on the night of July 24 near the former Aizu Bridge. After completing ceremonies in front of Tokei Shrine, the Okasa floats travel toward the bridge while their musicians continue playing.
Once the floats are lined up on the bridge, their red lanterns illuminate the darkness. The warm glow of the lanterns is reflected on the surface of the Aizu River, creating an atmospheric and almost dreamlike scene.
This nighttime display is one of the most memorable sights of the Tanabe Festival and offers a striking contrast to the lively daytime processions.
The Dawn Ceremony of the Main Festival
The main festival on July 25 begins early in the morning with a solemn ceremony known as the Dawn Festival.
Before sunrise, Shinto rituals are performed at Tokei Shrine. Unlike the lively atmosphere of the previous evening, the shrine grounds are enveloped in a quiet and sacred atmosphere.
A traditional sacred dance known as Urayasu no Mai is also performed. This ceremony allows visitors to experience the spiritual side of the Tanabe Festival and understand that the event is more than simply a colorful street celebration.
The Traditional “Nanadohan no Tsukai” Ceremony
Around midday on July 25, an unusual traditional ceremony known as “Nanadohan no Tsukai” takes place around the former Aizu Bridge.
Messengers repeatedly travel from the eastern end of the bridge to the western end to summon a person known as the Sumiya. After this exchange has been repeated according to traditional rules, the Sumiyā finally sets out and meets the messenger near the center of the bridge.
The ceremony is followed by a series of shio-gori purification rituals. These customs are associated with purification before the sacred procession and demonstrate how carefully the traditional ceremonial forms of the festival have been preserved.
The Grand Finale: Entering Tokei Shrine
After nightfall, the Tanabe Festival reaches its dramatic climax. The Okasa floats gather along the approach to Tokei Shrine, their lanterns glowing brightly in the darkness.
One by one, the beautifully decorated floats enter the shrine grounds. Seeing the eight floats assembled inside the shrine creates a spectacular scene and provides one of the festival’s most impressive moments.
Sumiyā: The Ritual Guardian at the Front
Leading the procession into the shrine is Sumiyā from Egawa-machi. Sumiyā is a type of ceremonial float known as a kinugasa and plays an important role in clearing the route of bad fortune and impurity.
It moves swiftly through the neighborhoods like an arrow, symbolically purifying the streets and praying for peace, safety, and good fortune throughout the coming year. It also travels ahead of the mikoshi and festival floats, preparing the route for the sacred procession.
Sumiyā is subject to distinctive traditional rules. For example, it is said that it must never retrace a route it has already traveled and must not turn to the right. These customs reflect beliefs and practices that have been handed down through generations.
The Yabusame Mounted Archery Ceremony
The final major event of the Tanabe Festival is the yabusame ceremony held in front of the second torii gate of Tokei Shrine.
Three riders dressed in traditional hunting-style garments and wearing ayanigasa ceremonial hats each ride a horse and shoot arrows three times. In total, nine arrows are fired during the ceremony.
Yabusame is traditionally associated with warding off evil and offering prayers for protection. The ceremony brings the festival to a dignified conclusion while demonstrating the connection between Shinto belief, horsemanship, and traditional Japanese archery.
Traditional songs known as umako-uta, sung by the people responsible for caring for the horses, may also be heard during the event. Such details help preserve the atmosphere of historic Japanese festival culture.
Passing Local Traditions on to Future Generations
The Tanabe Festival is much more than a colorful procession of floats. Its importance lies in the way numerous traditional customs—including the mikoshi procession, shio-gori purification, Nanadohan no Tsukai, shrine entrance ceremonies, and yabusame—continue to be practiced as part of one historic festival.
Large numbers of local residents participate in preparing for the festival, maintaining the floats, playing traditional music, organizing processions, and supporting the various religious ceremonies. Through this involvement, knowledge and traditions are passed from one generation to the next.
The festival therefore represents not only Tanabe’s religious heritage but also the strong community connections that have supported local life for centuries.
Experience the Historic Tanabe Festival
With a history of more than 460 years, the Tanabe Festival is one of the defining summer traditions of Tanabe City. From the colorful daytime procession of the Okasa floats to the magical sight of red lanterns reflected on the Aizu River at night, the festival offers visitors many memorable experiences.
The solemn ceremonies at Tokei Shrine, the traditional purification rituals, the spectacular shrine entrance, and the final yabusame ceremony reveal different aspects of Japanese cultural heritage.
For international visitors, the Tanabe Festival provides a unique opportunity to experience traditional Japanese festival culture in a historic castle-town setting. By combining beautiful floats, traditional music, Shinto rituals, horses, and centuries-old community customs, the festival offers an unforgettable glimpse into the history and living culture of Tanabe.