Waka Matsuri: Mikoshi Down 108 Steps at Kishu Toshogu

Every May, Kishu Toshogu in the scenic Wakaura district of Wakayama City holds its grand festival, the Waka Matsuri. It began in 1622, and for more than 400 years it has been the annual rite of a shrine dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Two things define the day: the mikoshi that comes hurtling down the 108 stone steps known as Samurai-zaka, and the procession of roughly 1,000 performers that follows it through the seaside town.

Down the 108 Steps

The main sanctuary of Kishu Toshogu sits at the top of Samurai-zaka, a flight of 108 stone steps so steep that simply looking up it is startling. At eleven in the morning, a portable shrine appears at the top.

The bearers time their breathing, call out, and take the first step, and after that there is no stopping. The heavy frame knocks against each stone tread with a sound that carries the length of the stairway, and the crowd below reacts with a collective gasp. It looks like a fall only just held in check by human strength, and that tension is the point. The contrast of fresh green leaves, vermilion shrine buildings and pale wood is very much a scene of this season.

A Procession of 1,000 Through Wakaura

At noon the procession sets out from the shrine behind the mikoshi. Drums, the Saika Odori dance and naginata halberd routines follow one another, with around 1,000 people taking part in total, and the column winds slowly through the Wakaura area until about four in the afternoon.

The low pulse of the drums drifts on the sea breeze, costumes flare in the sunlight, and applause runs along the roadside as each group approaches. Wakaura is an inlet celebrated in the ancient Manyoshu poetry anthology, a compact landscape of tidal flats, low hills, shrines and temples, and the procession makes the setting itself part of the festival.

The Festival of a Shrine to Ieyasu

Kishu Toshogu was founded in 1621 by Tokugawa Yorinobu, the tenth son of Ieyasu and the first lord of the Kishu domain. The enshrined deities are Ieyasu and Yorinobu, and the ornate gongen-zukuri buildings are designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

The Waka Matsuri began the following year, in 1622, as a festival organised on the scale of the whole domain. That the structure of the procession has been handed down, adapting but never disappearing, is what gives the day its depth. The lavish sanctuary above the steps and the working town below are reconnected once a year.

Tips for Visiting

The schedule runs from the mikoshi descent at eleven in the morning to the procession from noon until around four. If you want a close view of the descent, the area around the steps fills early, so allow plenty of time to get inside the precinct. The steps themselves are genuinely steep, so wear shoes you can trust.

Because the procession covers a long route, a good plan is to watch the descent at the shrine, then move to the roadside and catch the column again later. May sun is strong and there is little shade along the shore, so bring a hat and water. Visitors with pushchairs or wheelchairs will find it easier to skip the steps and watch from the street.

Getting There

From JR Wakayama Station or Nankai Wakayamashi Station, take a Wakayama Bus bound for Shin-Wakaura about 20 minutes to the Gongen-mae stop, right by the shrine. Kishu Toshogu has parking for about 70 cars, with booking required for coaches. On festival day visitors are directed to the Katao-nami beach car park and the car park in front of the Manyokan, though congestion can make leaving difficult.

Practical Information

• Dates: Usually a Sunday in mid-May; the exact date changes from year to year
• Times: 11:00 mikoshi descent; 12:00 to 16:00 procession
• Venue: Kishu Toshogu and the Wakaura area, 2-1-20 Wakauranishi, Wakayama City, Wakayama 641-0024
• Inquiries: Tel 073-444-0808 (Kishu Toshogu)
• Access: About 20 minutes by Wakayama Bus bound for Shin-Wakaura from JR Wakayama Station, then 1 minute on foot from the Gongen-mae stop
• Parking: About 70 spaces at Kishu Toshogu, coaches by reservation; on the day, the Katao-nami beach car park and the Manyokan car park are recommended
• Admission: Free to watch
• Official website: http://www.kishutoshogu.org/

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

(Sources: Kishu Toshogu official website, Wakayama City official website, Wakayama Prefecture official tourism website)