Ofuna-uta Chanting is dedicated in Gojinko-sai Festival held at Sumiyoshi Shrine in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Pref. every August. “Ofune (sacred ship),” which is set on a float accompanying Mikoshi (portable shrine) is carried around the city, while a group of musicians and singers called “Jiuta-gumi” aboard a ship perform “Ofuna-uta (chant of the sacred ship).” It is said that Ofuna-uta was first chanted to cerebrate a victory of Motonari Mori’s forces in the Battle of Itsukushima in 1555. Since then it had been chanted in the hope of safe navigation when the successive lords of the province were aboard or at launching ceremonies of new ships. In the Edo period, only a family of retainers called “Hamasaki Uta-kako” was allowed to chant this song. At the present time, however, the singers are selected among the people living in the town of Hamasaki. Ofuna-uta Chanting is a fascinating sight of summer, which reminds us of the relic of the most powerful warring lord in the western Japan.