Hatamatsuri is a festival held in Nihonmatsu City, Fukushima Pref. The festival originates in the old story during “Zen Kunen no Eki” or Earlier Nine Years' War (1051-1062). When Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie were defeated by Abe no Sadato, they took flight in the mountain of Kihata with a few vassals and made a prayer for winning the battle. The night falling on, it started to snow and the whole mountain was covered with snow. Abe no Sadato, who saw this in the next morning, mistook it for white flags and returned without fighting, which led to the victory of Minamoto forces and they could successfully brought Mutsu Province under control. The festival is counted as one of Three Banner Festivals in Japan. The men in Yamabushi (mountain practitioner) costumes carry large banners in five colors of white, red, blue, yellow and pink, and march along the ridge of Mt. Kihata, blowing horagai (conch-shell trumpet). The parade with men carrying white banners at the head of the line go heroically along the mountain path in the cold wind, which deeply moves spectators and exhilarates them.