An ancient Okinamai from the Kuruma district, preserving Chichi no Jō
Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, on the evening of January 14 / Every year
- Location
- Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine
- Area
- Hyogo Prefecture・Kobe City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 40 min–3 h 10 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Okinamai in an old form is passed down at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine in Suma Ward, Kobe.
About Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine
Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine is a ritual performing art passed down in the Kuruma district of Suma Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.
Locally, it is also called “Omen-shiki” or “Omen,” and is performed at Ōtoshi Shrine on the evening of January 14 each year.
It preserves a 4-part structure consisting of Tsuyuharai, Okina, Sanbasō, and Chichi no Jō, and is deeply connected to local history as an event that conveys the form of Okinamai from before the Edo period.
Source: 神戸市須磨区：須磨区のみどころ（民俗芸能） / 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the appearance of Chichi no Jō, a character omitted from the standard “Okina” performed in Noh today.
The 4-part structure, in which a child performs Tsuyuharai followed by dances by Okina, Sanbasō, and Chichi no Jō, is considered a rare, old form even by national standards.
The procession to the shrine, dances using sacred masks, and music featuring flutes and small hand drums also create a solemn ritual atmosphere.
An ancient Okinamai from the Kuruma district, preserving Chichi no Jō
What to expect
The event begins with moving 3 masks—Okina, Sanbasō, and Chichi no Jō—from the shrine’s main sanctuary to the yado.
In the evening, dances are performed at the yado. Afterward, the chief priest, mask bearers, dancers, jiutai (chorus), and hayashikata (musicians) form a procession and head to Ōtoshi Shrine.
The sequence concludes with a performance of Okinamai in the dance hall, followed by the masks being returned to the main sanctuary.
Location and access
- Venue
Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine
- Address
551 Matsugahara, Kuruma, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 654-0111
Address 551 Matsugahara, Kuruma, Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 654-0111
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, on the evening of January 14
- Frequency
Every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
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 Hyogo Prefecture / Kobe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
人と防災未来センター
兵庫県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
兵庫県立美術館
兵庫県神戸市「HAT神戸」にある美術館
布引ハーブ園
兵庫県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
生田神社
神戸市中央区にある神社
白鶴美術館
兵庫県神戸市東灘区にある美術館
写真：Original uploader was 663highland at ja.wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
神戸どうぶつ王国
兵庫県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
神戸ポートタワー
神戸港にあるタワー
神戸市立博物館
神戸市中央区京町にある博物館
神戸市立小磯記念美術館
神戸市東灘区にある美術館
Origins and History of Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine
Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine is a ritual performing art once carried out by professional performers and passed down by local people.
A record from Hōreki 14 (1764) shows that professional performers were still performing it at that time. A script dated to Bunkyū 2 (1862) suggests that local people began performing it around then.
In recognition of its preservation of an old structure that includes Tsuyuharai and Chichi no Jō, it was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 2000.
Official information
An overview of its cultural property status can be found in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.
The Suma Ward page introduces the structure and start time of Okinamai, along with directions to the venue.
Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine’s guide provides information on the ritual’s sequence, its transmission by the preservation society, and annual events.
Source: 祇園神社｜車 大歳神社
Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine at a Glance
Okinamai at Kuruma Ōtoshi Shrine is a ritual performing art designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, held on the evening of January 14 in the Kuruma district of Suma Ward, Kobe.
Its defining feature is a 4-part structure that includes Chichi no Jō alongside Tsuyuharai, Okina, and Sanbasō, preserving an old form of Okinamai.
You can also watch the sequence of rituals in which the sacred masks are moved, a procession heads to the shrine, and dances are offered.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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