Fushiki Hikiyama Festival

What Is the Fushiki Hikiyama Festival?

The Fushiki Hikiyama Festival is the grand annual festival of Fushiki Shrine in the Fushiki district of Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, held each spring. Known for floats that change their appearance as they parade through the town—hanayama (flower floats) by day and chōchin'yama (lantern floats) by night—it has gained nationwide fame especially for its climactic kaccha, the fierce collisions between floats. Nicknamed the "fighting floats," it is a spirited festival of a port town.

History and Origins

The Fushiki Hikiyama Festival is said to have continued since the Edo period as the spring grand festival of Fushiki Shrine, which governs safe sea passage and bountiful catches. Fushiki is a historic port town where the ancient provincial capital of Etchū was situated and which prospered as a port of call for the kitamaebune trading ships, and against this prosperity gorgeous floats took shape. The floats that each neighborhood takes pride in are devised with the distinctive idea of changing their guise between day and night, handed down as a tradition-rich festival that conveys to this day the spirit and wealth of the people of the port town.

Highlights

The greatest attraction is the kaccha, the fierce collisions between lantern floats held at night. The sight of floats beautifully decorated with several hundred lanterns crashing head-on into one another is full of intensity, wrapped in a fervor worthy of the name "fighting floats." The scene of the bearers' calls and the lantern lights swaying in the dark night is breathtaking. By day, the graceful procession of the flower floats adorned with intricate blossoms can be enjoyed, and the appeal of this festival lies in its two utterly different faces between day and night. Visitors can fully savor the vitality and spirited energy distinctive to a port town.

When It Takes Place

The festival is typically held in spring (May) at Fushiki Shrine and the surrounding area in the Fushiki district of Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture. As a spring grand festival, its season is spring. The daytime flower-float procession and the nighttime kaccha are the highlights. Because dates, routes, and viewing information vary from year to year, visitors are advised to confirm details in advance through official announcements from Takaoka City and the local tourism association.

Access

The Fushiki district enjoys good access, within walking distance of Fushiki Station on the JR Himi Line. It can be reached via the JR Himi Line from the direction of Takaoka Station. By car, routes such as the Noetsu Expressway are available, but because traffic restrictions are imposed in the area during the festival, public transport is recommended.

Around the Area

The Fushiki district is a place of history where the ancient provincial capital and provincial temple of Etchū were located, and is also known as the place to which Ōtomo no Yakamochi, a poet of the Man'yōshū, was posted as provincial governor. At the Takaoka Man'yō Historical Museum, visitors can engage with Man'yō culture, and from the Amaharashi Coast a superb view of the Tateyama mountain range across Toyama Bay unfolds. Together with the national treasure Zuiryū-ji temple and the Great Buddha in central Takaoka, and the traditional crafts of copperware and lacquerware, it is an area where one can savor the history, culture, and nature of western Toyama.

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