Ayabe Hachiman Shrine’s Flag-Raising and Flag-Lowering Observance

Festival highlights

The main highlight is the scene of men known as Shinpito climbing the large ginkgo tree in the shrine grounds and raising a sacred flag tied to the end of a bamboo pole.

The raised flag is observed by the chief priest morning and evening for about 70 days.

A distinctive feature of this observance is that signs of weather and a good harvest are read from the flag’s approximately 30 reputed styles of coiling, including left- and right-wound and bale-shaped coils.

A traditional Miyaki Town observance that entrusts farmers’ hopes to the direction of the sacred flag in the wind

What to expect

On the day the flag is raised, it is tied to a bamboo pole, and prayers are offered for protection from wind and flood damage and for a bountiful harvest. The Shinpito then perform misogi before climbing the large ginkgo tree.

After the flag is raised, the chief priest records its condition each morning and evening. During this period, local people, particularly farmers, make visits known as “Ayabe-san Mairi.”

On the day the flag is lowered, it is brought down after the dedication of sumo bouts. The chief priest considers the flag’s condition together with the forecast to judge the year’s weather and harvest prospects.

How to take part

The event is led by the chief priest, the parishioner representatives, and shinhata-nin selected from among the parishioners.

Meanwhile, while the flag is raised, people—mainly farmers—visit the shrine to pray for calm weather on the wind festival day and to receive ofuda for protection from the wind.

It is not stated whether members of the general public can take part as shinhata-nin (flag bearers).

Location and access

Venue and address

Ayabe Hachiman Shrine (Harukoga, Miyaki Town, Miyaki District, Saga Prefecture)

Source: 綾部八幡神社-みやきsanpo みやき町観光協会 佐賀県みやき町 / 綾部八幡神社の旗上げ神事・旗下ろし神事 文化遺産オンライン

Event venue 佐賀県みやき町 綾部八幡神社

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

The flag is raised each year on July 15 and lowered the day after the autumnal equinox.

The 2026 Flag-Lowering Rite is scheduled for September 24 (Thursday), from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The condition of the sacred flag is observed between the raising and lowering ceremonies.

Source: 綾部八幡神社 旗下ろし神事(佐賀県)の情報｜ウォーカープラス

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

The sacred flag is raised on a tall sacred tree, and at the flag-lowering ceremony, the Shinpito, wearing a fundoshi loincloth, brings it down.

Please follow on-site guidance when viewing the ceremony so as not to interfere with its proceedings.

The lowered bamboo branches may be taken home as charms for warding off misfortune and ensuring household safety, but visitors should check local instructions to confirm whether and how they may take them.

Nearby attractions

Nearby points of interest at Ayabe Hachiman Shrine include Kaze no Yakata, the Himekata Site, and Yamada Waterside Park.

Both are facilities or historic sites featured among the attractions around Ayabe Hachiman Shrine.

When visiting, you can plan an itinerary that combines viewing the festival with experiencing Miyaki Town’s culture and nature.

Origins and History of Ayabe Hachiman Shrine’s Flag-Raising and Flag-Lowering Observance

The origin of the observance is said to lie in a legend that, in the mid-Heian period, the monk Ryushin prayed to save villagers suffering from epidemics and wind and flood damage, and that the villagers carried on his wishes by raising a flag.

An inscription on the stone torii gate, built in Genroku 14 (1701), suggests wind divination using a flag.

Until Meiji 43 (1910), the flag was raised on day 15 of lunar month 6; from the following year, the date changed to July 15 on the solar calendar.

Official information

The official Miyaki Town website introduces the traditional culture of Ayabe Hachiman Shrine and its Flag-Raising and Flag-Lowering rites.

An explanation of the cultural property is also available in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.

Source: みやき町 伝統・文化

Ayabe Hachiman Shrine’s Flag-Raising and Flag-Lowering Observance at a Glance

The Flag-Raising and Flag-Lowering observance at Ayabe Hachiman Shrine is a traditional wind-divination event passed down in Miyaki Town. A hemp sacred flag is raised on a large ginkgo tree, and its movement is used to divine the weather and the prospects for the harvest.

The flag is raised on July 15 and lowered the day after the autumnal equinox.

Highlights include the Shinpito raising and lowering the flag, the chief priest observing it over an extended period, and the dedication of sumo bouts.