Mukonage and Suminuri

Overview

Mukonage and Suminuri (婿投げ・墨塗り) is one of Japan's three most unusual festivals (Nihon san-kisai), held annually on January 15 (Koshōgatsu, or "Little New Year") at Matsunoyama Onsen in Tōkamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. The event consists of two consecutive rituals: Mukonage ("groom-throwing"), in which men who married into the Matsunoyama community during the previous year are hurled from a cliff onto a snowy slope, and Suminuri ("ink-smearing"), in which all participants smear black soot on each other's faces — both performed to pray for marital harmony and the prosperity of the community.

History

The festival is said to have originated approximately 300 years ago in the mid-Edo period as a form of rite of passage — and good-natured retribution — for grooms who had taken brides away from the community. In the heavy-snow region of Matsunoyama, it became established as an annual event reinforcing communal bonds during the harsh winters, and has been carefully preserved by local residents since the Meiji era. The ink-smearing portion is said to ward off the misfortunes of the previous year and pray for good health in the new year. The festival is designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Niigata Prefecture.

Highlights

Around 2:00 PM, Mukonage begins in front of Yakushidō Hall. Husbands who married into Matsunoyama in the previous year are vigorously thrown by local young men from a snow-covered cliff approximately 5 meters high. The grooms emerge from the snow grinning, to cheers and applause from the crowd. Suminuri follows immediately afterward: ink made by mixing snow with the ashes of burned New Year decorations (kadomatsu and shimenawa) from the sai-no-kami snow altar is smeared on the faces of all participants. Tourists are welcome to join, creating a remarkable sense of unity with local residents.

Event Information

The venue is in front of Yakushidō Hall on the main street of Matsunoyama Onsen, Yumoto, Tōkamachi City, Niigata Prefecture. The nearest station is Matsudai Station on the Hokuhoku Line, followed by a 25-minute bus ride. The festival is held annually on January 15. Mukonage begins around 2:00 PM, and Suminuri continues until about 3:00 PM. Admission is free. As the event takes place on snow in midwinter, full winter gear — warm clothing, waterproof footwear, and ski wear — is essential. Those joining the ink-smearing should wear clothes that can get stained.

Nearby Attractions

Matsunoyama Onsen is ranked as one of Japan's three great medicinal hot springs, known for its highly saline, hypertonic waters. Combining the festival with a hot-spring retreat is a popular winter itinerary. The surrounding area is home to numerous installations from the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, often called "the world's final deep-winter open-air art museum" thanks to its stunning snow-covered landscapes. Visitors who time their trip with the Tōkamachi Snow Festival in February can experience the depth of Japan's snow country culture.

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