What is Yasurai Festival

This is one of the annual festival hold by Imamiya-jinja shrine, Genbu-jinja shrine and Kawakami-daijingusha.

Especially, Imamiya-jinja shrine is well known of this festival. The name of the festival comes from a name of flower so some times calls as “Chinka festival”. It says when the flower falls it blossoms affect to spectre and it causes disease. So people prayed to blossom not to affect to spectre, when fall the blossoms. In 1987, the festival is registered as the national intangible folk-culture property and this is known as a fire festival as same as “Kurama’s fire festival” and “Uzumasa ox festival”

History

In the end of Heian period (794-1185), epidemic and natural disaster attacked the capital. People believed all extraordinary disasters were caused by vengeful ghost at that time. To remove the cause, a lot of ceremony to appease evil gods and the spirits of the dead was hold. And by an oracle, Imamiya shrine was established. The shrine’s record says the ceremony (festival) was hold at oriental record’s March, when the epidemic was rife. And a tourist guide book which was published in the end of Edo period mentioned about the festival with drawing.

Festival Schedule

A possession walks all over the land with flag, Masakakidai a sakaki (a branch of the evergreen sacred sakaki tree decorated with a silk flag that has five colors), chest, lance, Heisoku (offerings of rope, paper, etc.), and red umbrella praying no diseases and health for everyone. They dance and accompany to sounds is to drag in specters, which was affected by falling blossoms, into dancing not to mischief people. This possession consists with others who head of each instrument such as portable drum, flute, musical accompaniment and others.

Ancient Tradition

- The festival day is a fine day, the all others festival days will be a fine day.
If not it as it is. - If you could get in under the red umbrella, whole year will be nice.
- A baby the first time of the festival, if the baby could get in under the red umbrella, whole life will be healthy.