Guzuyaki Festival

Overview

The Guzuyaki Festival is a traditional summer festival held in Ishikawa Prefecture, centered around Furibashi Shrine in Ugurashi-cho, Kaga City. The festival typically takes place on a Saturday and Sunday in late August, with the 2026 edition scheduled for August 29 (Saturday) and 30 (Sunday). This festival is known for its unique ritual of parading a giant papier-mache fish called "Guzu" through the town and then burning it within the shrine grounds, earning it the nickname "the strange festival of Ugurashi."

The origins of the festival can be traced back to the ancient "Kuzuyaki Festival" (rubbish burning festival). Today, the festival carries the meaning of praying for a bountiful harvest and warding off misfortune, supported by the entire community led by the youth association. The sight of young men in white tabi socks carrying the giant Guzu with shouts of encouragement is a beloved seasonal feature that marks the end of summer for local residents and tourists alike.

History and Origins

The history of the Guzuyaki Festival dates back to the late Taisho era (early 1920s). At that time, the festival was called the "Kuzuyaki Festival" (rubbish burning festival) and centered around a large bonfire. However, the bonfire grew too large, leading to a ban by the fire department in Showa 2 (1927).

The village youth, worried that the festival would become too plain without the bonfire, gathered to discuss alternatives. After discussion, they came up with the idea of creating a large papier-mache fish called "Guzu" and parading it through the town instead of burning rubbish. Thus, the first Guzu was created in Showa 3 (1928), forming the basis of the current Guzuyaki Festival.

"Guzu" is a local dialect word for donko, a type of freshwater goby fish. According to legend, a giant Guzu living in the shrine's ancient pond would appear on summer nights and devastate the village. A god appeared before the troubled villagers and defeated the giant Guzu, bringing peace to the village and ensuring a bountiful harvest. Based on this tradition, burning the Guzu symbolizes warding off misfortune and praying for abundant crops.

In 1993, this unique festival attracted international attention and participated in Singapore's Chingay Parade. This overseas performance helped raise the international profile of the Ugurashi town festival. In August 2020, amid concerns about a decline in participants, local residents published a booklet titled "All About the Guzuyaki Festival" to document and preserve the festival's history for future generations.

Highlights

The Giant Guzu Manufacturing Process Members of the youth association begin making the Guzu approximately one month before the festival. The process involves drawing design plans, purchasing wood and bamboo, creating the skeletal framework, applying cloth, and painting. In recent years, the Guzu has reached a length of 13 meters, with production costs of approximately 300,000 yen. Alongside the manufacturing, members practice flute, drum, and lion dance performances.

Parade by Young Men in White Tabi Socks As evening falls, about 50 to 60 young men and boys dressed in white tabi socks carry the Guzu while shouting "Wasshoi" as they parade through the old post town. This white tabi attire is a traditional festival costume that conveys formality and sanctity. The sight of three Guzu units converging at Ugurashi Station and performing a wild dance is powerful and impressive against the summer evening sky.

Guzu Wild Dance at Ugurashi Station The three giant Guzu units gather at Ugurashi Station and perform a competitive wild dance. The synchronized movements and shouts of the young men overwhelm the spectators. This wild dance creates a sense of vitality as if the Guzu were alive, making it one of the festival's most spectacular highlights.

Burning of the Guzu at Furibashi Shrine After the parade, the Guzu are brought to the grounds of Furibashi Shrine and burned by the youth. The towering flames are a powerful symbol of burning away misfortune. The heat and roar of the flames envelop the shrine grounds, creating the climax of the festival.

Furibashi-bushi Circle Dance After the Guzu are burned, a circle dance to the tune of Furibashi-bushi continues late into the night on the shrine grounds. Local residents and tourists join hands in a circle and dance to the traditional rhythm. This circle dance serves to calm the excitement of the festival and reaffirm community bonds.

Lion Dance and Other Events In addition to the Guzu parade, the festival period features a lion dance, treasure hunt, and street stalls. The lion dance is a traditional performing art that has been passed down in the region, carrying meanings of warding off evil and praying for good health and safety. These diverse events enhance the overall vibrancy of the festival.

Event Information and Access

1. Dates: Usually held on a Saturday and Sunday in late August. The 2026 event is scheduled for August 29 (Saturday) and 30 (Sunday). Please check the official website for the latest schedule and confirmation of the event.
2. Time: The Guzu parade runs from approximately 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on the first day (station event from around 7:00 PM). A similar schedule is followed on the second day.
3. Venue: Furibashi Shrine and the area around Ugurashi Station, Ugurashi-cho, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Main venue: Furibashi Shrine (180-1 Ugurashi-cho Ru, Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture 922-0331).
4. Access (Public Transport): Get off at "Ugurashi Station" on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line, then walk approximately 9 minutes (about 650 meters). From Kanazawa Station, take a local train on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line for about 60 minutes; from Kaga Onsen Station, it is a 3-minute local train ride (one stop toward Kanazawa).
5. Access (Car): Approximately 7.9 km from the "Katayamazu Interchange" on the Hokuriku Expressway. However, no official parking is available, so the use of public transportation is strongly recommended.
6. Contact: Guzuyaki Festival Executive Committee (Ugurashi Town Hall) Phone: 0761-74-0715. For the latest information, check the official Ugurashi town website (https://iburibashi.town) or the Ishikawa Prefecture tourism website "Hot Ishikawa Travel Net".

Surrounding Area Information

Ugurashi-cho in Kaga City is located in the southwestern part of Ishikawa Prefecture, with Ugurashi Station on the IR Ishikawa Railway Line as the nearest station. The area around the station features a long, narrow townscape that retains the atmosphere of an old post town, serving as the parade route for the festival. Nearby is the Katayamazu Onsen hot spring area, known for its scenic views of the Sea of Japan. Staying at a hot spring inn before or after the festival is a great way to fully enjoy Kaga's traditional culture.

As a whole, Kaga City is popular with tourists as the gateway to the Kaga Onsen hot spring resorts (Yamashiro Onsen, Yamanaka Onsen, and Katayamazu Onsen). The area is also rich in historical temples and shrines, including the National Treasure "Shirayama Hime Shrine" and the Important Cultural Property "Nata-dera Temple." The festival season coincides with the end of summer, when local seafood and Kaga vegetables are in season. Access from Ugurashi Station to Kanazawa is good, making it easy to combine a visit to the festival with sightseeing in Kanazawa City.

On the other hand, there are few large parking lots in the Ugurashi area, and traffic restrictions may be in place on the festival day. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation, especially the IR Ishikawa Railway Line. Tourist information is regularly updated on the official Ishikawa Prefecture tourism website "Hot Ishikawa Travel Net," so it is advisable to check in advance.

Related Information

1. Etymology and Meaning of "Guzu": "Guzu" is a dialect word for donko (a type of goby fish), and by extension, it also means "lazy person" or "to dawdle." In the festival, however, it refers to the giant fish symbolizing misfortune.
2. Decline in Participants and Preservation Efforts: By around 2020, the number of carriers had decreased to 13, but the festival is maintained with support from alumni and former residents. In 2020, the booklet "All About the Guzuyaki Festival" was published.
3. "Gyaru Guzu" (Gal Guzu): For a period, a "Gyaru Guzu" existed where women also participated in carrying the Guzu. This was a notable initiative from the perspective of gender equality.
4. International Recognition: In 1993, the festival participated in Singapore's Chingay Parade, gaining international exposure. This is a valuable example of a local Japanese festival being introduced internationally.
5. Development from Kuzuyaki Festival: Until the late Taisho era, the festival was called the "Kuzuyaki Festival" and involved a bonfire, but a fire department ban led to the development of the current format.
6. Organizational Structure: Many organizations participate, including the youth group, senior group, women's association, children's association, Kiraku-kai, Yokin-ko, ward head association, and chamber of commerce. The youth association takes the lead in creating the Guzu and practicing lion dance performances.
7. Official Information Sources: The official website of Ugurashi town (https://iburibashi.town), the Ishikawa Prefecture tourism website "Hot Ishikawa Travel Net," and the Guzuyaki Festival Executive Committee (Phone: 0761-74-0715) are reliable primary sources. The Ugurashi Youth Association also provides information through its official Instagram account.

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