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Ometsuki Festival, which dates back over 300 years, takes place every January 24th at Naburi, Ogatsu-cho, Miyagi Prefecture.
It is said to have started in 1781 after a big fire raged through the village and people started to pray at the shrine to prevent it happening again.
On the festival day, led by a person dressed as Shishi lion, Dashi portable shrines parade dynamically followed by Choujirushi portable shrines carried by children.
The biggest attraction in the festival is a series of performances called “Ometsuki”. What will be seen in the performances is kept secret until the day of the event. This is because young people who become lively after drinking “Omiki”, sake offered to a deity, used to demonstrate improvised performances on a whim. Ometsuki is said to have derived from the word, “Omiki” and “omoitsuki” or acting on whims. Although most of the themes in the performances are current social issues, they use a form of traditional Kyougen play with some similarity to Niwaka, a comical street performance, with exaggerated female and male roles. This is very unique in the nation and is a valued cultural event.
Ometsuki is designated as an important intangible folklore cultural asset by Miyagi Prefecture.
It is said to have started in 1781 after a big fire raged through the village and people started to pray at the shrine to prevent it happening again.
On the festival day, led by a person dressed as Shishi lion, Dashi portable shrines parade dynamically followed by Choujirushi portable shrines carried by children.
The biggest attraction in the festival is a series of performances called “Ometsuki”. What will be seen in the performances is kept secret until the day of the event. This is because young people who become lively after drinking “Omiki”, sake offered to a deity, used to demonstrate improvised performances on a whim. Ometsuki is said to have derived from the word, “Omiki” and “omoitsuki” or acting on whims. Although most of the themes in the performances are current social issues, they use a form of traditional Kyougen play with some similarity to Niwaka, a comical street performance, with exaggerated female and male roles. This is very unique in the nation and is a valued cultural event.
Ometsuki is designated as an important intangible folklore cultural asset by Miyagi Prefecture.
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