Sagichō Matsuri, Ōmihachiman

Origin

It began, it is said, with the Sagichō of the castle town of Azuchi, where Oda Nobunaga is said to have taken part himself, dancing out with the townspeople. After his death, those who moved from Azuchi to the castle town of Hachiman asked to be included in the shrine’s April festival and were refused — so **they began offering their own Sagichō at Himure Hachimangū instead**. The festival brought in by the people shut out of the main one is now a nationally selected intangible folk cultural property.

What to look for

Thirteen floats come out from the old castle town. The float itself is the *sagichō*; the ornament at its centre is the *dashi*. The *dashi* is modelled on the animal of the year, and **it is made entirely of food** — beans and other grains, dried squid, kelp — which each neighbourhood works on for months. On the second day the floats are driven into one another in a contest the festival itself calls its centrepiece. **And that same night they are set alight in turn.** Months of work end in a single evening.

How to watch

Heat and sparks are strong around the burning. The float contest is pushed with full force, so keep your distance anywhere the street is tight. A *dashi* is months of a neighbourhood’s work — do not touch one or lean on it.

If you go

**The two days differ.** On Saturday the floats assemble at Himure Hachimangū and the *dashi* are judged, so that is the day to look at them closely. **On Sunday they roam the town from morning to evening, the contest happens, and the burning follows at night.** Several go up together first, then the rest at intervals, so seeing it through means staying late. Come only in daylight and you will miss the fire. The site is the old town of Ōmihachiman, at some distance from the station.

Where

Himure Hachimangū

Ōmihachiman, Shiga

Sources

• Ōmihachiman tourism site, stating the date rule
• City of Ōmihachiman, on the Sagichō Matsuri
• Sagichō Matsuri, official overview