Boshita Festival

Overview

The Autumn Grand Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu (Fujisaki Hachimangu Shuki Reitaisai) is the grand festival held each autumn at Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Fujisaki Hachimangu is a shrine that has long drawn reverence as the chief guardian shrine of Kumamoto, and its grand festival has a history of more than a thousand years, known as an autumn festival originating in the Hojoe (rite of releasing living creatures). Over five days and nights, venerable rites are held in succession, and the divine procession (shinko gyoretsu) on the final day forms the climax of the festival. Especially famous is the sight of the seko (handlers) leading decorated horses as they boldly dash through the streets of Kumamoto to festival music, and it has also been cherished by the nickname "Boshita Festival." Combining solemn rites with the dynamic offering of decorated horses, this festival is deeply rooted among the citizens as a tradition that announces the arrival of autumn in Kumamoto.

History and Origins

Fujisaki Hachimangu is a shrine that has long drawn the reverence of the people as the chief guardian shrine of Kumamoto. Its autumn grand festival is said to have a history of more than a thousand years and was originally a festival originating in the Hojoe. The Hojoe is a rite that originates in a Buddhist observance of releasing captured fish, birds, and animals and cherishing life, and it has been held at Hachiman shrines across the land in connection with Hachiman faith. This observance, praying for mercy toward living creatures and for an abundant harvest and the peace of all things, has been handed down over long years into the grand festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu.

Over a history spanning more than a millennium, the grand festival became deeply tied to the life of the people of Kumamoto and developed into a major festival of the whole region. While preserving the solemnity of the rites, the bold element of the offering of decorated horses was added, and it came to be cherished as a festival that fascinates onlookers. As the festival of Kumamoto's chief guardian shrine, its tradition has been protected and handed down without interruption, and even now rites are conducted over five days and nights in accordance with ancient form. In the coexistence of dignity backed by a long history and the fervor with which the citizens come together to lift the festival's spirits lies the charm unique to this grand festival.

Highlights

The grand festival has a structure in which solemn rites are held in succession over five days and nights. During the period, venerable rites and observances such as the "First Day Rite," "Second Day Rite," "Offering Rite," "Divine Procession Rite," and "Thanksgiving Rite" are conducted one after another, conveying the depth of a festival carried on for more than a thousand years. Alongside these, a tea-offering rite and offerings of waka and haiku poetry are also held, showing that it is a festival in which faith and culture are interwoven.

The climax of the festival is the divine procession held on the final day. At the head of the procession, the portable shrine advances in a solemn atmosphere, followed by lion dancers and dedicated portable shrines. And what adorns the end of the procession are the decorated horses and the seko. The seko lead horses adorned in many colors with spirited calls and festival music, boldly dashing through the streets of Kumamoto. The power of horses and people parading as one under the autumn sky is overwhelming, greatly exciting the crowds lining the route. Prior to the divine procession, a rite is also held in which the lion dancers, dedicated portable shrines, and decorated horses gather at the shrine and receive purification from the priests, praying for the safety of the festival. Possessing the two faces of solemn rites and the dynamic offering of decorated horses is the greatest highlight of this grand festival.

Event Information and Access

The Autumn Grand Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu is held over five days and nights in September each year. During the period, various rites are conducted day by day, and on the final day the divine procession tours the streets. The venue is Fujisaki Hachimangu Shrine in Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture, and the city center through which the divine procession travels.

On the day of the divine procession, large crowds are expected in the urban area, and traffic restrictions are also imposed along the procession route, so it is best to avoid visiting by car and to use public transportation. Kumamoto City has well-developed streetcars and buses, and access to the city center is convenient. Because the schedule, the procession route of the divine procession, and the details of each rite may change from year to year, it is best to confirm the latest information through official announcements from Fujisaki Hachimangu when visiting. Because the final day, when the decorated horses dash through the streets, is particularly crowded, it is best to act early.

Things to See Nearby

Kumamoto City, the venue, is a castle town that has developed around Kumamoto Castle, and there is no shortage of sights. Kumamoto Castle, known for its magnificent stone walls, is the symbol of Kumamoto and a famous spot worth visiting along with the grand festival. In addition, the urban area spreads around Fujisaki Hachimangu, where one can also enjoy food and shopping unique to Kumamoto. Because the grand festival is held in autumn, it falls in a season when one can stroll while feeling the atmosphere of autumn in the city. Worshipping at Fujisaki Hachimangu, the chief guardian shrine of Kumamoto, and encountering the history and culture of the castle town of Kumamoto allows one to learn more deeply the depth of the faith and daily life rooted in this land.

Related Information

The Autumn Grand Festival of Fujisaki Hachimangu is an autumn festival with a history of more than a thousand years handed down at Fujisaki Hachimangu, the chief guardian shrine of Kumamoto, and is a venerable grand festival originating in the Hojoe. The solemn rites over five days and nights, and the bold figures of the decorated horses and seko that adorn the divine procession on the final day, are widely cherished as a tradition that announces the arrival of autumn in Kumamoto. Because the schedule, the details of the divine procession, and the traffic restrictions may change from year to year, it is best to confirm the latest information through official announcements from Fujisaki Hachimangu before visiting.

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