Kumano Hayatama Grand Festival: Race Boats on the River

On October 15 and 16 every year, Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, holds its grand annual festival. On the first day the spirit of the deity travels to the sacred resting place on horseback; on the second it goes by portable shrine and boat along the Kumano River. The moment nine race boats charge around the island called Mifuneshima is the best known image of the festival. In 2016 it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan under the name Shingu no Hayatamasai and Oto Matsuri.

October 15: The Sacred Horse

The first day opens at eleven in the morning with the rite before the main sanctuary, where a sacred dance is performed and court music fills the vermilion buildings.

At two in the afternoon comes the sacred horse procession, in which the spirit of the deity is carried on horseback to the resting place, accompanied by attendants in traditional dress moving slowly through town. At half past four a ceremony is held at the temporary cedar sanctuary. Because it takes place as the light fails, the image of the little sanctuary picked out by lamplight stays with you. Quiet though it is, the horse procession forms the backbone of the festival.

October 16: Nine Boats on the Kumano River

On the second day the portable shrine procession begins at two in the afternoon, and the deity travels by shrine and boat toward the resting place. At half past four comes the rite the festival is named for.

The stage is the Kumano River. Around 1.6 kilometres upstream from the river mouth lies Mifuneshima, and nine fast boats race one another around it. Each carries eleven rowers who drive their oars in unison to a shared call, and the slap of blades on water echoes off the surface while spectators cheer from both banks. Because the racing escorts the decorated sacred boat, the tension never drops into mere sport. At half past five a final ceremony, lit by torches, closes the two days.

One Shrine, Two Great Festivals

Kumano Hayatama Taisha stands near the mouth of the Kumano River, and its precinct is part of the World Heritage site of Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range. It is said to have been moved here from Mount Kamikura some 2,000 years ago, and is known for its National Treasure collection of old sacred objects and for a nagi tree said to be over 1,000 years old. The same preservation society maintains this festival and the fire festival held on February 6. A river festival and a fire festival paired around one shrine say a great deal about this corner of Kumano.

Tips for Visiting

The centrepiece is the boat rite at half past four on the 16th, watched from the riverside, where there is very little shade or shelter. October days can still be warm, yet the wind off the water can feel cold, so bring a layer. Binoculars help you follow the boats.

The horse procession on the 15th and the evening ceremony on the 16th are much calmer. If you want to avoid crowds, or are travelling with older family members, build your plan around those. Since the main events fall in the afternoon, mornings suit the precinct and the treasure hall.

Getting There

Kumano Hayatama Taisha is about a 20 minute walk from Shingu Station on the JR Kinokuni Line. There is parking at the shrine, but spaces are limited and fill early on festival days. As the boat rite is watched from the riverside, the practical approach is to walk from the station, visit the shrine, then continue to the river.

Practical Information

• Dates: October 15 and 16, every year
• Main schedule: Oct 15, 11:00 sanctuary rite, 14:00 horse procession, 16:30 resting place ceremony. Oct 16, 14:00 shrine procession, 16:30 boat rite, 17:30 resting place ceremony
• Venue: Kumano Hayatama Taisha and the Kumano River, 1 Shingu, Shingu, Wakayama
• Inquiries: Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Tel 0735-22-2533
• Access: About 20 minutes on foot from JR Shingu Station
• Parking: Available, limited
• Cultural status: Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, designated 2016
• Admission: Free
• Official website: https://kumanohayatama.jp/

* Dates, details and prices are subject to change. Please check the official website before you go.

(Sources: Kumano Hayatama Taisha official website, Wakayama Prefecture official website, Shingu Tourist Association official website, Cultural Heritage Online of the Agency for Cultural Affairs)