🏮 Hyotan Matsuri
ひょうたん祭り
Bungoono, Oita (Shibayama Hachiman Shrine) · Every year on 31 December
Official site →108 days to go
Rooms around Bungoono, Oita fill up while the festival is on.
Held at Shibayama Hachimansha Shrine in Bungo-ono, Oita Prefecture, the Hyotan Matsuri (gourd festival) takes place every year on the first Sunday of December from 1 p.m. It is a traditional festival designated as an intangible folk cultural property selected by Oita Prefecture. The festival originates in the Shimotsuki Matsuri passed down at the shrine for 800 years, and has long been inherited by the local community. The highlight is the sight of the "Hyotan-sama," who wears a gourd on his head, dresses in red, and wears large waraji (straw sandals) 130 cm long and weighing 10 kg, parading through the streets while offering sacred sake contained in a large gourd holding 3 sho. It is known as a strange festival with a unique appearance.
Getting there
5 minutes by taxi from JR Sugao Station. 8 minutes by car from Chitose IC on the Nakakyushu Odan Road.
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Local specialities
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