Kenzen Festival at Kanazawa Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine

A festival passed down in Kanazawa, Matsukawa Town, Fukushima City, where sacred offerings are prepared according to strict ritual procedures and presented before the deities. The ceremonies are held on separate days at Shinmei Shrine and Kuronuma Shrine, and kōchū and the ritual organization preserve traditional rites.

About Kenzen Festival at Kanazawa Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine

The Kenzen Festival at Kanazawa Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine is a traditional offering ritual passed down in Kanazawa, Matsukawa Town, Fukushima City.

The festival is held at Shinmei Shrine on May 3 and at Kuronuma Shrine the following 4th; its schedule changed from dates based on the old lunar calendar to its current arrangement.

Sacred offerings are prepared with strict observance of ritual procedures in the Gokokuden on the . They include sacred sake, rice, water, whole fish with their heads, and either mountain vegetables or other vegetables.

It is carried on by a ritual organization centered on kōchū, local religious groups, alongside shrine priests, representatives, “cooks,” and others.

Source: 福島市の文化財 -【市指定】金沢黒沼神社・神明宮の献膳祭／福島市公式ホームページ

Festival highlights

Highlights include the strict procedures for preparing sacred offerings in the Gokokuden and the clearly prescribed contents of the offerings.

Offerings include sacred sake, rice, and water, along with a whole fish with its head as a gift from the sea, and either mountain vegetables or other vegetables as gifts from the land.

The sacred offerings are prepared carefully using traditional methods, and the “cooks” are chosen through an oracle.

Another distinctive feature is the traditional ritual organization, in which kōchū, shrine priests, ujiko representatives, and cooks each take on their respective roles.

A Fukushima ritual preserving the traditional offering ceremony

What to expect

The festival begins with the preparation of sacred offerings in the Gokokuden on the shrine grounds, following traditional cooking methods.

The offerings include sacred sake, rice, water, whole fish with their heads, and either mountain vegetables or other vegetables; their types and handling are strictly prescribed.

A ritual organization consisting of shrine priests, ujiko representatives, kōchū (local religious associations), and “cooks” supports the ceremony. The “cooks” are chosen through an oracle.

The Kenzen Festival is held on separate days at Shinmei Shrine and Kuronuma Shrine.

Location and access

Venue and address: Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine, 45 Aza Miyanomae, Kanazawa, Matsukawa Town, Fukushima City

Address 45 Aza Miyanomae, Kanazawa, Matsukawa Town, Fukushima City

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Dates and season

Season: Shinmei Shrine on May 3, and Kuronuma Shrine the following 4th

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Origins and History of Kenzen Festival at Kanazawa Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine

The detailed history of the Kenzen Festival is unclear, but the shrine says it is believed to have begun in Genji 1 (1864).

The shrine’s collection includes the “Showa 61 Revised Register of Kōchū Members for the Kuronuma Shrine Kenzen Festival,” which also states, “First festival held in Genji 1.”

In the past, the festival was held at Shinmei Shrine on day 28 of lunar month 3 and at Kuronuma Shrine on day 1 of lunar month 4. Today, it is held at Shinmei Shrine on May 3 and at Kuronuma Shrine the following 4th.

In Heisei 30September 13, it was designated a Fukushima City Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Official information

Fukushima City official website, “Cultural Properties of Fukushima City—[City-Designated] Kenzen Festival at Kanazawa Kuronuma Shrine and Shinmei Shrine”