Traditional autumn festivals held across various Japanese regions

Various regions across Japan held traditional autumn festivals to pray for community prosperity and successful harvests.

In the Hidaka region, several local festivals took place, including the Ina Festival in Yura, the Warai Festival in Hidaka River Town, the Kido Festival in Misaki, and the Suga Festival in Minabe. These events featured traditional Shinto rituals, lion dances, and energetic portable shrine processions. Notable highlights included the Ina Festival, where young participants from Osaka joined local youth in the procession, and the horse-running traditions seen in the Kido and Suga festivals.

In Sado City, the Shukunegi district held its annual autumn festival. The community gathered at a local shrine to perform traditional chants and drum performances. A major attraction was the ‘O-shishi’, a massive lion dance over seven meters long, which was paraded through the streets to bring good fortune to residents.