Ekijin Shrine’s ritual for warding off misfortune

A custom to drive away disease using a giant straw snake and a lion mask has been handed down in the Sekigahama district of Waki Town. The festival features a giant snake draped over the sacred tree and a round of the settlement, praying for protection from epidemics and the safety of households.

About Ekijin Shrine’s ritual for warding off misfortune

Ekijin Shrine’s ritual for warding off misfortune is a custom to drive away disease handed down in the Sekigahama district of Waki Town.

Every year, a giant snake made of straw is wrapped around the sacred tree at Ekijin Shrine, followed by a purification ritual.

Afterward, a member of the tōya household puts on a lion mask and makes a round of the settlement, praying for protection from epidemics and the safety of households.

Source: 歴史・文化・史跡 - 和木町ホームページ

Festival highlights

Highlights include the giant straw snake being wrapped around the sacred tree at Ekijin Shrine, followed by a round of the settlement.

During the round, a member of the tōya household wears a lion mask and purifies each home with a branch.

Local beliefs in driving away disease and praying for the safety of the household have been passed down through specific ritual actions.

Sekigahama’s misfortune-warding ritual, entrusted to a giant straw snake and a lion mask

What to expect

The festival begins with a giant snake made of straw being wrapped around the sacred tree at Ekijin Shrine, followed by a purification ritual.

Next, a member of the tōya household puts on a lion mask and makes a round of the settlement, calling for protection from epidemics and the safety of households.

An event to drive away disease, handed down in the Sekigahama district, in which each home is purified with a sakaki branch.

Location and access

Venue and address: Ekijin Shrine and the Sekigahama district.

Event venue 山口県和木町疫神社および関ヶ浜地区

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

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Dates and season

Season: Every year on July 3
Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Yamaguchi Prefecture / Waki Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Tips for your visit

The event consists of draping a giant snake over the sacred tree and a round of the settlement by a member of the tōya household wearing a lion mask.

As this custom involves visiting and purifying individual homes, please take care not to disrupt residents’ daily lives or the progress of the festival if you attend as a spectator.

Origins and History of Ekijin Shrine’s ritual for warding off misfortune

The festival is said to have begun about 350 years ago, after a major epidemic swept through the Sekigahama district.

It is rooted in the belief that epidemics are caused by the work of the deity of pestilence, who is enshrined here.

The year the shrine was founded is unknown, but the ritual of draping a giant snake and the gyōji ritual to drive away disease have been passed down to the present day.

Official information

The Waki Town website introduces Ekijin Shrine’s ritual for warding off misfortune in its “History, Culture, and Historic Sites” section as a cultural property designated by the town.

Information is provided about the festival’s origins and rituals, including the giant straw snake and the round of the settlement with a lion mask.