“Otebi Shinji” Shinto Ritual
“Otebi Shinji” Shinto Ritual: Wishing for good health by carrying flaming torches

A Shinto ritual called “Otebi” is held on the night before the second Sunday in July. On this night, Tomonoura glows red from the flames that burn during this festival of fire. “Otebi” is held at Nunakuma-jinja Shrine, and it is a ritual held to pray for good health and ward off evil.

Three large torches called “otebi” are made using the wood of sacred trees tied together with green bamboo. These otebi torches are around 4.5 meters in length, each weighing over 200 kg. After they are lit with the sacred fire, they are carried up the stone steps of the shrine by shrine parishioners who have been drenched in water. After these large torches are brought to the hall of worship, a magnificent fire festival is held until the late hours of the night. Local residents transfer the sacred fire from the otebi torches to their own smaller “kotebi” torches, which they then take home with them in order to purify their homes.