Miyaza rites of Chikuzen Asakura

Festival highlights

In Kurokawa, distinctive offerings include long, narrow rice cakes, astringent persimmons, and cooked rice that has been hung from a sacred tree.

In Fukui, people carry a straw mikoshi and an Ohoshisama containing small rice cakes, processing with gohei streamers and banners.

Details differ from place to place, but both traditions preserve old customs and share a wish for the renewal of the spirit of grain.

An autumn festival that carries Asakura’s harvest forward through the miyaza and its procession

What to expect

Jinga, representatives of the districts, take turns serving as za-moto and prepare the prescribed offerings and sacred food.

After offerings are presented and ceremonies are held before the deities, duties are handed over to the next za-moto during the communal meal.

At Fukui Shrine, a highlight is the procession to the shrine carrying a straw mikoshi, gohei streamers, and banners, known as “O-kudari.”

In the past, the next za-moto also took the offerings home and enshrined them in the mountains in a ritual known as “O-nobori.”

Location and access

Venue and address

Takagi Shrine (Kurokawa, Asakura City); Fukui Shrine (Fukui, Asakura District, Toho Village)

Address Kurokawa, Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture (Takagi Shrine); Fukui, Toho Village, Asakura District, Fukuoka Prefecture (Fukui Shrine)

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

It is usually held in October. In Kurokawa, it is said to run for 30 days from October 26, and in Fukui, for 29 days from October 27.

However, this schedule was provided as reference information at the time of selection and is not confirmed information about the 2026 event dates.

Origins and History of Miyaza rites of Chikuzen Asakura

The Miyaza rites of the Chikuzen Asakura area are harvest thanksgiving festivals held according to longstanding customs, rooted in the miyaza, an organization for shrine worship.

At Takagi Shrine, representatives from 9 districts and 8 groups take turns serving as za-moto for 1 year at a time; at Fukui Shrine, representatives from 13 districts and 10 groups do the same.

In December 20, 1984, it was selected as an intangible folk cultural property requiring measures such as documentation, as its origins and content reflect the region’s way of life and culture.

Official information

The Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties provides the name, location, event details, and date of selection as a cultural property for the Miyaza rites of Chikuzen Asakura.

The information presented covers events at both Takagi Shrine and Fukui Shrine.

Miyaza rites of Chikuzen Asakura at a Glance

The Miyaza rites of Chikuzen Asakura are harvest thanksgiving festivals passed down in Kurokawa, Asakura City, and Fukui, Toho Village.

The za-moto prepare the offerings and conduct rites, a communal meal, and the transfer of duties. In Fukui, a procession carrying a straw mikoshi and other items can also be seen.

The miyaza system and old customs express the bonds of the local community and its hopes for the spirit of grain.