Kannon-sama’s Recommendation

“Kannon-sama’s Recommendation,” passed down in Katsuyama City, is an event February 11 in which brown rice is gathered, made into porridge, and served to women. The children’s rice gathering, the young men pounding rice—not mochi—and the men serving it are all imbued with prayers for safe childbirth and abundant harvests.

About Kannon-sama’s Recommendation

Kannon-sama’s Recommendation is an event in Katsuyama City held on February 11.

The day before, children go from house to house chanting “Kannon-sama’s recommendation!” as they gather brown rice.

A distinctive custom involving rice and porridge has been passed down: a home where a celebratory occasion, such as a wedding, has taken place serves as the gathering place, where young men pound rice and men make porridge and serve it to women.

Source: 勝山市の伝統行事・祭礼 – デジタルアーカイブ研究所 – 岐阜女子大学

Festival highlights

Highlights include pounding rice with a mortar and hand mallets, then stirring the pounded rice in a large iron pot to make porridge.

A chant is sung while the rice is pounded, and the porridge is seasoned with salt.

The men serve the women, chanting “Kannon-sama’s recommendation!” as they urge them to have several servings. A distinctive custom is to keep the bowls piled high.

A porridge ritual for safe childbirth and abundant harvests: gathering, pounding, and serving rice

What to expect

The day before the event, children visit homes throughout the settlement to gather brown rice.

On the day, young men gather at a home where a celebratory occasion has taken place and pound the rice with a mortar and hand mallets to the accompaniment of a chant.

The men stir the pounded rice in an iron pot, cook it into salted porridge, and serve it to the women gathered at the host home.

Location and access

Address: Katsuyama City

Host municipality Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture

This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.

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Dates and season

Season: Every year on February 11

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写真：Totti / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Origins and History of Kannon-sama’s Recommendation

This event is thought to be a remnant of Little New Year “azuki-gayu” (red bean porridge) rituals.

The custom of men pounding rice in a mortar, piling the porridge high, and feeding women until they are full is thought to be a variation of the “kayu-tsue” ritual, which prayed for safe childbirth and abundant harvests.

The custom of children visiting homes in the settlement to gather rice is also said to be connected with Little New Year rituals. Against the backdrop of Hakusan faith, the event was regarded as a spiritual bond among villagers during the Edo period and later as a village tradition in modern times.