A magnificent fire to pray for good health

“Otebi Shinji” Shinto Ritual

Blazing torches! Blazing hearts!

　On the eve of the second Sunday in July, a sacred flame set alight using flint is transferred to the shinzen-tebi (lit., “torch before the god”), and this is transferred to the otebi at the bottom of the shrine steps by officials clothed in white. The blazing otebi are taken up by townsfolk, drenched in water from head to toe, who, as sparks fall all around, work their way slowly up the stone steps of Nunakuma-jinja Shrine. Following a ritual in front of the worship hall, the otebi are carried all over to purify the town and pray for good health. The townsfolk bring hand-held torches which they light from the otebi being carried around town, and they take these smaller torches with them to purify their homes. This summer fire festival lights up the town of Tomo in blazing red.

Otebi

Sacred wood and green bamboo are bound together with rope to create these massive 4.5 m long pine torches that weigh in excess of 200 kg.

Three days of bustling excitement all over town

Tomo Aki-matsuri (Autumn Festival at Watasu-jinja Shrine)

Gorgeously decorated chōsai floats are pulled through towns amidst cries of “Here come the chōsai! Here come the chōsai!” This festival, which is the biggest of the year for the town of Tomo, is an annual festival of the Watasu-jinja Shrine, where Ōwatatsumi-no-mikoto, a god of the sea, is enshrined. Also known as “Omatsuri” (lit. “big festival”), this event spans three days starting from August 11th of the old lunar calendar (now celebrated over a Friday, Saturday and Sunday in mid-September). Each year one of the seven towns that used to comprise Tomo is designated to host the festival; on the first day, the sacred mikoshi-togyo procession travels from Watasu-jinja Shrine to the designated town; on the second day, the Otabisho-sai Festival is held in the designated town; and, on the third day, the Kangyo-sai Festival is held as the procession returns to the shrine. The chōsai floats are paraded around on the third day. The houses in the designated town welcome the floats with eaves decorated with umbrella lanterns, curtains, pine decorations, picture lanterns and more.

First day

Day 2

Day 3