The Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine

This autumn annual grand festival is carried on at Haya Hachiman Shrine in Nakahaya, Tanabe City. It conveys festival traditions involving horses and , including , horse racing, the procession, and horse-handlers’ songs.

About The Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine

The Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine is an annual grand festival held at Haya Hachiman Shrine in Nakahaya, Tanabe City.

It is a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property, known for its yabusame.

During Yoimiya, a ritual is held at Haya Coast, and the horses are also purified with seawater, conveying festival traditions connected with the sea and horses.

Festival highlights

The main highlight is yabusame, in which riders in hunting attire race along the track and shoot at targets.

On the main festival day, riders shoot at 3 targets, and the is also carried in procession to the .

Afterward, the horses’ decorations and the riders’ attire are changed, and they race along the track, conveying the festival’s distinctive atmosphere alongside the horse-handlers’ songs.

Yabusame and Horse-Handlers’ Songs at the Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine

What to expect

During Yoimiya, a ritual is held at Haya Coast, after which the horses are also purified with seawater.

On the main festival day, ujiko from each district enter the shrine, and the proceedings continue with the shinden ceremony, the procession, and the return procession.

Later, as part of the entertainment, horses race with changed attire and decorations. Horse-handlers’ songs are sung as the horses enter the shrine and on the return route to the toya’s home.

Location and access

Venue and address: Haya Hachiman Shrine (803 Nakahaya, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture)
Train and bus: JR Kinokuni Line: From Tanabe Station, take the Ryujin Bus Kamihaya Line to Tajiri-bashi, then walk 5 minutes.
Parking: None

Address 803 Nakahaya, Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture

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Dates and season

Season: Autumn

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 Wakayama Prefecture / Tanabe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Tips for your visit

写真：アラツク / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Origins and History of The Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine

The Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine is a festival passed down as the shrine’s annual grand festival.

In Heisei 2April 18, it became a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property.

Festival elements involving horses and ujiko, including yabusame, the procession, horse racing, and horse-handlers’ songs, are recorded in current cultural property descriptions.

Official information

Tanabe City lists the Autumn Festival of Haya Hachiman Shrine as a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property.

Wakayama Prefecture’s cultural property guide describes the Yoimiya seaside ritual, as well as yabusame, the procession, horse racing, and horse-handlers’ songs on the main festival day.