Akada Daibutsu Festival held in Yurihonjo

The Akada Daibutsu Festival, designated as an intangible folk cultural property of Akita Prefecture, took place on August 22 and 23 in Akada, Yurihonjo City.

During the festivities on the 23rd, local residents participated in a mikoshi procession, marching approximately 700 meters from Shinmei Shrine to Chokokuji Temple. The procession serves as a prayer for bountiful harvests and good health. According to local tradition, the festival originated when Zen Master Zesan (1732–1811), the founder of Chokokuji Temple, constructed the approximately nine-meter-tall ‘Akada Daibutsu’ statue.