霜月祭
In December, the Frost Moon Festival (Shimotsuki Matsuri) is held overnight at various shrines in the former Kamimura and Minamishinano towns, known as Toyama-go, at the southern tip of Nagano Prefecture.
From Iida City, travel through Takagi Village and enter Kamimura from the north, following the Kamimura River south to reach the Kamimachi area.
During the Edo period, Kamimachi prospered as a post town on the Akihabakaido Highway, but today it is a quiet village with an elementary and middle school.
Shō Hachimangū, where the Kamimachi Frost Moon Festival is held, is a shrine located in this former post town, with the Kamimura River flowing right next to it.
Shō Hachimangū enshrines Emperor Ōjin and was said to have been built to console the spirits of the destroyed Tōyama clan during the Genna era.
The shrine also enshrines local deities, serving as the guardian deity of Kamimachi.
The Frost Moon Festival, designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property, is a syncretic event of Shinto and Buddhism. During the festival, a cauldron is built in the dance area, which is integrated with the worship hall, and the ceremony involves boiling water and offering dances throughout the night.
Differences in the dance forms and sequences classify the festival into Kamimachi, Shimoguri, Kisawa, and Wada styles based on region.
Each shrine hosts the festival on different days and times, with the Kamimachi Shō Hachimangū Frost Moon Festival held from 11 AM on the second Saturday to about 7 AM the next Sunday.
The major festival starts in the worship hall, with ceremonies beginning and continuous dance offerings around the cauldron.
Around 2 AM, masks for the god-mask dance are brought out from the shrine, and a mask inspection is performed.
These masks represent local deities, including Inari, the mountain god, and Tengu.
Those selected to perform as masked dancers take a ritual bath in the Kamimura River around 3 AM to prepare for the dance.
Praying at the four directions of the cauldron before the dance
Children's dance starting at 7 PM
Mask inspection conducted beside the main shrine
Ritual gesture performed in front of the cauldron
The first to appear wearing masks are the Elderly Couple Dance, performed by Shin-tafu the Elder and Baba the Old Woman.
Locally known as "Oji and Oba," the elder waves a ceremonial staff while the old woman waves a sakaki branch, hitting spectators as they walk around.
The couple's appearance is part of a story where an elderly couple on a pilgrimage to Ise stops to pray at the festival, after which the elder's back straightens, and the old woman's wrinkles disappear. It's believed to bring good fortune if hit by the sakaki branch.
Next comes the Hachisha (Eight Shrines) dance, a quiet performance in contrast to the Elderly Couple Dance.
A story is told that during the Warring States period, the Tōyama clan, rulers of the area, faced a peasant uprising due to oppressive rule and were attacked in Ōshika Village.
The Hachisha masks are said to represent the spirits of the clan members, including Gengen-ō Daijin, Masanaga-ō Daijin, and other deities from the shrines of Ise, Hachiman, Sumiyoshi, Hiyoshi, Ichinomiya, and Yodo no Myōjin.
Following the Hachisha dance are the Inari and Mountain God dances.
Inari, dressed in red with bells and a fan, and the fierce-faced Mountain God make a dramatic entrance, transforming the atmosphere.
Local spectators shout "Yōsse" as they rush around the dance area.
As more spectators crowd in, the space becomes even tighter, with people jostling and even falling as the Inari and Mountain God whirl around.
This lively and noisy part of the festival may be a surprise to those unfamiliar with it, but it is an essential part of the tradition.
The dedication of local festival organizers to manage the chaos and ensure safety was impressive.
The Shimotsuki Matsuri is also known as the "carrying festival" or "pushing festival," referring to stories of young men carrying women during the festival night in the past.
This time of the festival is the most energetic and lively, marking a peak in the celebration.
When the Inari and Mountain God dances conclude, the Tengu Mask Dances of the Four Kings appear.
These masks represent Suiko (Water King), Dōko (Earth King), Mokko (Wood King), and Kako (Fire King).
Suiko and Dōko cool the boiling water, while Mokko and Kako heat it.
The most famous scene of the Shimotsuki Matsuri involves these four masks performing the Yudate (hot water purification), where participants plunge their hands into boiling water for purification.
Hot water is splashed around, believed to ward off evil when it touches onlookers.
The last mask to appear is the Tenbaku, a deity in glittering attire holding a bow and arrow.
Tenbaku draws the bow towards the four directions and the heavens and earth, driving away evil spirits.
The festival concludes with the sending off of the gods, marking the end of the Shimotsuki Matsuri.
It is said that the festival, which inspired ideas in Studio Ghibli films, has seen an increase in visitors.
While the film portrays gods resting at a hot spring, the Shimotsuki Matsuri involves inviting gods to the cauldron and repeatedly singing kagura songs.
Experiencing the festival firsthand offers a deeper understanding of the rituals and the lively atmosphere that goes beyond the film's depiction.