Takayama Autumn Festival 2024

“Hida Takayama Festival Floats” UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Registration”

 

Eleven elaborately decorated festival floats designated as Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of the Nation, showcasing the craftsmanship of Hida artisans.

The Takayama Festival, with origins dating back to the late 16th to 17th centuries, encompasses two main festivals: the “Sanno Matsuri” in spring and the “Hachiman Matsuri” in autumn. These festivals have been cherished and passed down through generations by the people of Takayama.

Among them, the “Hachiman Matsuri,” which paints Takayama with autumn colors, is the annual festival of Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine, the guardian deity of the northern half of the former Takayama castle town. Taking place on October 9th and 10th every year, 11 festival floats appear on the north side of Yasukawa Street. Traditional festival events, such as the procession of the floats through the town and the mechanical puppet dedications of the Hotei float, can be enjoyed.

The festival originated during the rule of the Hida daimyo Kanamori clan (1585 to 1692), and the floats were established around 1718. The festival features the skilled craftsmanship of artisans, showcasing intricate mechanical movements in karakuri dedications and the use of cleverly devised reversing wheels.

During the autumn Takayama Festival, 11 “Matsuri Yatai” or festival floats, often referred to as the moving Yomeimon (a gate of the Tokugawa Ieyasu mausoleum in Nikko), are paraded, displaying their splendid and luxurious appearance. The festival also includes processions featuring hundreds of participants dressed in traditional costumes like the “Tokeiraku” and “Kamishimo,” accompanied by traditional music, Gagaku, and lion dances. As night falls, each float illuminates with around 100 lanterns, creating a glamorous display against the darkness. The Takayama Festival is a source of unwavering pride for the people of Hida.

 

 

 

 

Event Summary

Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture

Period
October 9 and 10, 2024

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