Seihaku Festival

The Seihaku Festival is the grand annual festival of Ōtokonushi Shrine in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, held every May. Known as the largest festival of the Noto region, it is a spirited and grand spring celebration in which the "dekayama"—said to be Japan's largest festival floats—are pulled through the castle town. It is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The festival's greatest distinction is, above all, the gigantic floats called "dekayama." Standing about 12 meters tall and weighing around 20 tons, the dekayama are, as their name (meaning "huge mountain") suggests, among the largest floats in Japan, with three of them processing through the city. The festival's name is said to derive from the practice of offering sacred food heaped on leaves of the "aogashiwa" (blue oak), and its origins are said to date back more than 1,000 years.

The greatest highlight is the "tsujimawashi," in which the gigantic dekayama turn direction at a narrow intersection. The sight of many pullers joining forces to change the direction of the dekayama—which has large wheels called "jiguruma"—using the principle of leverage is full of intensity and captivates the crowd. As work songs resound, the spectacle of the giant floats advancing through the town is overwhelming. Bringing together the spirit and tradition of the people of Noto, this festival is a representative Japanese float festival that ardently colors early summer in Nanao.