Nada no kenka matsuri

Overview

The Nada no Kenka Matsuri is an annual autumn festival held on October 14 and 15 at the Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in Shirahama-cho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. The festival is renowned for its spectacular and violent collisions between seven elaborately decorated floats (yatai) carried by parishioners from seven former villages and three portable shrines (mikoshi) from the shrine. The name "Kenka Matsuri" (Fighting Festival) derives directly from these fierce collision rituals, which are believed to intensify the divine power of the gods.

This festival is organized by the parishioner association centered around Matsubara Hachiman Shrine, which covers the Shirahama area of Himeji City. The participating seven former villages are Higashiyama, Kiba, Matsubara, Yaka, Mega, Usazaki, and Nakamura. Each village owns its own float and maintains unique family crests, shide (colored paper streamers), and decorative characteristics. The floats reach approximately six meters in height and weigh about two tons, adorned with lavish carvings and gold leaf. The carriers, known as "neriko," wear only a loincloth and headband, shouting vigorous cries as they parade the floats through the streets. At the shrine square and the Hirobata practice ground at the foot of Otaniyama, fierce "neriawase" (float clashes) and "mikoshi-awase" (shrine collisions) take place, plunging spectators into a whirlpool of excitement. This festival, under the formal name "Matsubara Hachiman Shrine Autumn Festival Furyu," was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Himeji City on October 3, 1992, and by Hyogo Prefecture on March 3, 2006.

History and Origin

The origins of the Nada no Kenka Matsuri are traced to the "Hojo-e" (Release of Life Ceremony) held on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine. Hojo-e was a Buddhist and Shinto ritual in which captured fish and birds were released to avoid killing living creatures, a ceremony performed at Hachiman shrines throughout Japan. It is believed that this Hojo-e began at Matsubara Hachiman Shrine between the 11th and 12th centuries, forming the prototype of the current festival.

In the mid-15th century, a story is passed down that Akamatsu Masanori, the Shugo daimyo (military governor) of Harima Province, donated rice fields and 200 bales of rice to Matsubara Hachiman Shrine. The parishioners, overjoyed by this donation, carried the rice bales up nearby Otaniyama. This act is considered the beginning of the current ritual of portable shrines being carried to Otaniyama, and the festival content shifted significantly from the Hojo-e. The image of parishioners carrying rice bales eventually evolved into the present form of passionately crashing portable shrines and floats.

During the Edo period, the festival format using elaborate floats and portable shrines became established. Each village competed to decorate their floats and refine their collision techniques, with the festival becoming increasingly splendid and intense. With the adoption of the solar calendar in the Meiji period, the festival date changed from the old lunar calendar to the current fixed dates of October 14 and 15, continuing to the present day.

In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mikoshi collisions and float clashes were either cancelled or scaled down. This was an unprecedented measure since the self-restraint in 1988 following the deteriorating health of Emperor Showa. Normal operations resumed from 2022. Notably, in Reiwa 7 (2025), the Matsubara float was newly built for the first time in 28 years, with a consecration ceremony held for it.

Highlights

Float Procession and Clash at the Shrine From around midday on the eve of the festival (October 14), the floats from the seven former villages – Higashiyama, Kiba, Matsubara, Yaka, Mega, Usazaki, and Nakamura – sequentially enter Matsubara Hachiman Shrine. Each float is a massive structure, approximately six meters tall and weighing about two tons, yet the neriko carriers maneuver them with surprising agility through synchronized shouts. At the shrine precincts and surrounding areas, the floats violently collide with each other in "neriawase," where the creaking of wood and the carriers' battle cries merge to elevate the festival's fervor to its peak.

Clash of the Three Portable Shrines The main highlight on the day of the main festival (October 15) is the fierce collision of three portable shrines from Matsubara Hachiman Shrine: "Ichinomaru," "Ninomaru," and "Sannomaru." These portable shrines are sacred vehicles carrying the gods, and it is believed that violently crashing them together more powerfully fulfills the gods' will. Carried out by the village designated as "neriban" (the rotation village for the year), the shrines collide with tremendous force aimed at toppling the opponent, creating a spectacle that stirs the soul of every onlooker.

Procession to Otaniyama Following the shrine collision at the main shrine, the floats and portable shrines form a single procession and move to Otaniyama, about one kilometer from the shrine. At the Hirobata practice ground at the foot of Otaniyama, shrine collisions and float clashes resume. The floats then ascend the steep mountain path to the summit. As dusk approaches, the shrines and floats descend the mountain, perform one more round of clashes, and return to their respective villages, providing a moving climax to the day's festivities.

Individuality and Decoration of the Seven Floats The floats of the seven former villages each feature distinct family crests, shide colors, and decorative characteristics. Higashiyama uses a Sen-nari Hyotan (thousand gourds) crest with pink shide. Kiba features Kikusui (chrysanthemum and water) crest with light green shide. Matsubara uses Hidari Mitsudomoe (left triple tomoe) crest with red shide. Yaka uses Hidari Mitsudomoe crest with yellow-red shide. Mega uses Hidari Mitsudomoe crest with vermilion shide. Usazaki uses a Nobori Ryu (ascending dragon) crest with yellow shide. Nakamura uses Go-shichi no Kiri (paulownia with five-seven crest) with blue shide. The intricate carvings and gold leaf decorations on each float reflect the pride and weight of tradition of each village.

Unique Attire and Shouts of the Neriko The neriko carriers wear a fundoshi loincloth similar to sumo wrestlers, along with a headband in the symbolic color of their village. Some villages also wear a juban (undershirt), reflecting regional differences in tradition. The carriers shout distinctive cries such as "Yoitosa!" and "Yoi yoi yoi!" while exerting all their strength to manipulate the floats. Their perfectly synchronized movements captivate the audience.

Sound of the Danjiri Drums The "Danjiri Drums of the Nada no Kenka Matsuri" have been selected as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Ministry of the Environment. Drums are mounted at the four corners of each float, and the carriers beat unique rhythms as they parade. The drum sounds resonate far and wide, enhancing the festival atmosphere and becoming a beloved symbol of autumn in the Banshu region.

Illuminated Floats at Night After dusk on the eve of the festival, each float is lit with lanterns and electric decorations, creating a fantastical landscape different from the daytime spectacle. The silhouettes of the floats emerging from the darkness, combined with the carriers' shouts, offer a different charm from the daytime vigor. The shrine precincts and surrounding streets are crowded with spectators, and the clashes continue late into the night.

Event Information and Access

• Date and Time: Annually on October 14 (eve) and 15 (main festival). Generally from 9:00 AM to around 6:00 PM. Please check the official website for the latest schedule and whether the event will be held.
• Venue: Matsubara Hachiman Shrine, 396 Kou, Shirahama-cho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture; and Hirobata Practice Ground (at the foot of Otaniyama), 673-4 Kou, Shirahama-cho, Himeji City.
• Train Access: Get off at Shirahama-no-miya Station on the Sanyo Electric Railway main line, then walk about 3 to 5 minutes. Normally only local trains stop at this station, but during the festival, limited express and direct express trains make temporary stops throughout the day. Approximately 10 minutes from Himeji Station, and about 1 hour from Sannomiya, Kobe, via the Hanshin Electric Railway.
• Car Access: Approximately 10 minutes from the "Oshio Bessho" IC on the Bantan Renraku Toll Road. Access from the "Himeji Higashi" IC on the Himeji Bypass is also possible. However, there are no dedicated parking lots; visitors must use nearby paid parking lots, so public transportation is recommended.
• Seating: Large permanent bleachers (Reitaisai Souranseki) are set up in front of the shrine's Sakura-mon gate, but these are for authorized personnel only and not sold to the general public. Bleachers are also installed at the Hirobata practice ground at Otaniyama, but these are also mainly for authorized personnel.
• Cautions: The festival is extremely dangerous, so visitors should watch from safe locations. Fatal accidents have occurred in the past: in 2001, a man was crushed by a collapsing portable shrine, and in 2009, a man was caught between two floats and died. Do not enter restricted areas, especially during clashes when floats move violently.

Surrounding Area Information

The area around Shirahama-no-miya Station is a quiet residential district in the southeastern part of Himeji City. The station itself is unmanned and generally quiet except during rush hours, but on festival days it becomes crowded with spectators, and temporary information booths and security personnel are stationed. Along the path from the station to Matsubara Hachiman Shrine, food stalls line the streets offering various festival treats such as yakisoba (fried noodles), takoyaki (octopus balls), and cotton candy. Local residents eagerly await the festival, decorating their homes with lanterns to enhance the festive atmosphere.

Matsubara Hachiman Shrine itself has long been revered as the tutelary shrine of the Shirahama area, surrounded by large trees several hundred years old that create a serene atmosphere. During the festival period, however, the shrine transforms into a hub of excitement and energy. About one kilometer northwest of the shrine, a 15-minute walk away, lies Otaniyama, the other main stage of the festival, also bustling with spectators. From the summit of Otaniyama, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Harima Sea, offering a spectacular view during breaks from the festival excitement.

Among the tourist attractions in Himeji City, Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the most famous, and many visitors combine visits to the castle with the festival. Access from Himeji Station via the Sanyo Electric Railway takes about 10 minutes, making it convenient. Additionally, around the Shirahama area, there are facilities such as Shirahama Beach and the Himeji City Aquarium that families can enjoy. After experiencing the festival's fervor, visitors can relax at hot springs or restaurants in the Himeji city area.

Related Information

• Origin of the Name "Nada no Kenka Matsuri": The name comes from the fierce collisions between floats and portable shrines, but this is not a hostile conflict; rather, it is a sacred ritual believed to strengthen the fulfillment of the gods' will.
• Alternate Name "Mega no Kenka Matsuri": As Mega is one of the seven former villages of parishioners, the festival is also affectionately known as "Mega no Kenka Matsuri" or "Nada Matsuri."
• Attire of the Neriko Carriers: The basic attire is a fundoshi loincloth with a headband. Some villages also wear a juban (undershirt). The color of the shide and headband is uniform within each village.
• Shide on the Floats: These are colored paper pom-poms attached to bamboo poles, serving as identifying marks for each float. The seven colors are pink, light green, red, yellow-red, vermilion, yellow, and blue.
• History of Accidents: In 2001, a man was crushed to death by a falling portable shrine. In 2009, a man died after being caught between two floats. The intensity of the clashes has been noted for its inherent danger.
• Danjiri Drums Selected as Soundscape: The "Danjiri Drums of the Nada no Kenka Matsuri" have been selected as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan by the Ministry of the Environment. The unique rhythm is cherished as a seasonal feature of autumn in the Banshu region.

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