The “Okunchi Festival,” the largest festival in the Hitoyoshi Kuma region, will be held at Aoi Aso Shrine. The festival takes place at Aoi Aso Shrine, which has a history of over 1200 years and has buildings designated as national treasures.
Among the nine-day festival, on the 9th (Tuesday), there will be a divine procession with more than 2,000 participants, with portable shrines and sacred horses parading. It is said that being bitten on the head by a lion will bring good health and ward off evil, so it is also recommended to try it as a way to ward off misfortune.
The procession heading towards the Otabisho (temporary resting place for the deities during a festival) in Hitoyoshi City is a must-see.
Access Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Period | Thursday, October 3rd to Friday, October 11th, 2019 |
| Time | Divine Procession…Tuesday, October 9th, 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM<br>*Times vary depending on the day |
| Address | Aoi Aso Shrine<br>118 Kami-Aoi-machi, Hitoyoshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture |
| Access | Approximately 5 minutes on foot from JR Hitoyoshi Station |
| Telephone Number | 0966-22-2274 (Aoi Aso Shrine) |