Kanchu Misogi Matsuri

Overview

The Kikonai Town Midwinter Misogi Festival is a traditional Shinto ritual held annually in mid-January at Samegawa Shrine in Kikonai Town, Kamiiso District, Hokkaido. Four young men called gyo-shusha, dressed only in loincloths, enter the freezing waters of the Tsugaru Strait to purify four sacred statues and pray for a bountiful harvest and abundant fishing catch in the coming year. This festival was designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hokkaido on November 17, 2023, and is recognized as a representative folk event within the prefecture.

The festival typically takes place over three days from January 13 to 15, during which the gyo-shusha repeatedly perform a cold-water purification practice called mizugori within the grounds of Samegawa Shrine. On the final day, January 15, the seawater purification ceremony is held at Misogi Beach, where the gyo-shusha, watched by spectators, enter the sea while holding the sacred statues. Simultaneously, the Midwinter Misogi Festival (Kantyu Misogi Festival) is held, featuring local product fairs, mochi-throwing events, and winter fireworks, attracting many visitors from both within and outside the town.

History and Origin

The origin of this festival is said to date back to the early morning of January 15, 1831 (Tempō 2), when the shrine priest of Samegawa Shrine received a divine revelation in a dream commanding him to purify the sacred statues. According to the legend, the priest immediately broke the ice on the Same River flowing beneath the shrine, purified himself with the bone-chilling cold water, and then carried the sacred statues to the coast. At the river mouth, he found a large shark being battered by the waves, and on its back stood a beautiful woman dressed in white robes.

Believing the woman to be a sacred messenger of the gods, the priest entered the freezing sea repeatedly with the statues to purify both himself and them. When he looked up after some time, the woman had vanished, and the large shark had swum upstream into the Same River, disappearing into a small pond now known as Same-numa (Shark Pond). That year, the village experienced unprecedented prosperity with abundant harvests and fishing catches, enough to overcome the Tempō famine, and the ritual has been performed annually ever since.

The founding of Samegawa Shrine itself is even older, dating back to 1625 (Kan'ei 2), when Kōno Kaga-no-kami Gen Hiro, a retainer of the Matsumae domain, built a shrine and prayed for military success. The enshrined deity is Tamayori-hime no Mikoto, the mother of Emperor Jimmu, Japan's first emperor. According to one tradition, because the main deity of the shrine built at the river mouth was a goddess, the river was given the name Same-gawa using the characters for help (sa) and woman (me), meaning river helped by a goddess.

Traditionally, this ritual was strictly forbidden to women, and only unmarried men considered pure were selected as gyo-shusha. Once chosen, a man was required to serve for four consecutive years, during which marriage was prohibited, and he could not participate if a family member had recently died. This strict code was maintained for generations, but after World War II, the number of volunteers declined due to social changes, leading to a revision of the rules, including the lifting of the women-only prohibition. Today, both married and unmarried men can participate.

Highlights

Mizugori Cold-Water Purification by the Gyo-shusha Throughout the festival period, the gyo-shusha repeatedly perform mizugori, a cold-water purification practice, day and night within the grounds of Samegawa Shrine. The practitioners kneel with their arms crossed, enduring buckets of cold fresh water poured over their bare backs, thereby strengthening both body and spirit against the freezing temperatures. This practice is not merely a test of cold tolerance but a sacred act of purifying themselves before handling the statues, and the sight of the practitioners meditating on the sanctity of life amidst falling snow deeply moves onlookers.

The Four Sacred Statues and the Hierarchical Progression of the Gyo-shusha Each year, one new gyo-shusha is selected, and the practitioners serve for four years, carrying a different sacred statue each year in a hierarchical progression. In the first year, they carry Benten; the second year, Yama no Kami; the third year, Inari; and in the final fourth year, they carry the highest-ranking statue, Bettō (Tamayori-hime no Mikoto), completing their service. The statues are attributed to the Buddhist sculptor Enkū, and each deity confers different blessings: Benten, the only female among the Seven Gods of Fortune, grants arts and wealth; Yama no Kami, the mountain deity, ensures good fortune and protection; Inari, the god of agriculture and commerce, brings business prosperity and abundant harvests; and Bettō, the mother goddess of the first emperor, protects maritime safety and safe childbirth.

The Misogi Hayashi Music and the Omani-shikigida Drumbeat Throughout the festival, the powerful drumbeat of Omani-shikigida resonates through the town. This term Omani-shikigida means that herring have swarmed (kukita) onto the beach of Ōma, and the drumbeat embodies prayers for abundant fishing and harvests. The drum sound both encourages the gyo-shusha in their ascetic training and heightens the tension leading to the climax of the seawater purification, conveying the fervor of the festival to spectators.

The Shusshinsai Departure Ceremony and the Misogi Procession On the morning of January 15, the Shusshinsai departure ceremony is held at Samegawa Shrine, where the gyo-shusha, dressed in white robes, emerge carrying the sacred statues. Following this, a solemn misogi procession, including shrine officials and musicians playing flutes and drums, parades from Misogi Park to Misogi Beach. The procession is enveloped in a reverent atmosphere, and spectators fall silent as they watch the gyo-shusha take each step toward the sea.

Seawater Purification (Immersion in the Freezing Sea) The main highlight of the festival is the seawater purification, when the gyo-shusha enter the freezing Tsugaru Strait while holding the four sacred statues. Several fishing boats float offshore, and the practitioners splash seawater at each other, purifying the statues in the intensely cold water. At this moment, cheers and applause erupt from the spectators, and the brave figures of the gyo-shusha become a lasting winter tradition of Kikonai Town.

The Hon-Sai Main Ceremony and Matsumae Kagura After the seawater purification, the gyo-shusha return to Samegawa Shrine, where the hon-sai main ceremony is held to report to the deities that the purification has been completed without incident. During this ceremony, Matsumae Kagura sacred dance is performed solemnly, marking the conclusion of the gyo-shusha's prayer for life. Matsumae Kagura is a traditional performing art passed down from the Matsumae domain since the Edo period, and it further enhances the solemnity of the ritual.

Event Information and Access

• Event Period: Annually from January 13 to 15 (please check the official website for the latest schedule)
• Venue: Samegawa Shrine (155 Kikonai, Kikonai Town, Kamiiso District, Hokkaido), Misogi Beach (Kikonai Shindō, Kikonai Town), Misogi Park (Hon-chō, Kikonai Town)
• Access (Public Transport): Approximately 5 minutes on foot from JR Kikonai Station
• Access (By Car): Approximately 1 hour from Onuma Koen IC on the Hokkaido Expressway
• Parking: Free parking available (approximately 200 spaces)
• Admission Fee: Viewing from roadsides and the venue is free. The availability of paid reserved seats varies by year, so refer to official announcements. Food and souvenir purchases are at actual cost.
• Contact: Kantyu Misogi Festival Executive Committee (Phone: 01392-6-7357) *Check the latest schedule and event status on the official website of the committee or the Kikonai Town Tourism Association.

Nearby Information

Kikonai Town is a fishing and agricultural town located in southern Oshima Peninsula, Hokkaido, facing the Tsugaru Strait. During the Edo period, it was under the control of the Matsumae domain and prospered from herring fishing, and the town still retains streetscapes reminiscent of the Matsumae route. During the festival, stalls selling local seafood and agricultural products line the area around Misogi Park, attracting many tourists from the greater Hakodate area.

Within walking distance of Samegawa Shrine, the Kikonai Town Local History Museum offers exhibits on the town's history and fishing culture. Additionally, JR Kikonai Station, served by both the Hakodate Main Line and the South Hokkaido Railway, provides convenient day-trip access from Hakodate City. Restaurants and accommodations are concentrated around the station, and the area becomes especially lively during the festival period.

Furthermore, Kikonai Town serves as a gateway to Hakodate City, which is about 30 minutes away via the South Hokkaido Railway. Many visitors combine the festival with sightseeing in Hakodate's historic districts or hot springs, making this event an important part of the winter tourism season in the region. Nearby, the Onuma Quasi-National Park offers winter activities such as smelt fishing and snowshoeing.

Related Information

1. Samegawa Shrine Midwinter Misogi was designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hokkaido in 2023.
2. The sacred statues used by the gyo-shusha are attributed to the sculptor Enkū, with each of the four statues enshrining a different deity.
3. The core chant Omani-shikigida means herring have swarmed onto the beach of Ōma, expressing prayers for abundant fishing.
4. During the concurrently held Kantyu Misogi Festival, local dishes such as kōkō-jiru soup and misogi soba noodles are sold.
5. A local sake called Misogi no Mai is brewed in Kikonai Town and is popular as a souvenir of the festival.
6. The large shark that appears in the legend of the festival's origin is said to have disappeared into Same-numa pond (also called Same-numa), and the place name still remains in the town.
7. The tradition declined temporarily due to modernization after the Meiji era and post-war social changes, but local preservation organizations have ensured its continuation.
8. It is said that those who are splashed with water during the seawater purification will receive boundless happiness, and spectators often willingly step forward to be splashed.

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