Kusakoshi’s winter water ritual: dousing in the cold of Daikan to carry the community’s prayers forward
Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on the day of Daikan (January 20) / Every year
- Location
- Kusakoshi area (Kusakoshi Community Center–Kumano Shrine)
- Area
- Nagano Prefecture・Miyota Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 50 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Required number of participants
- Approximately 60 people (water ascetics)
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
On the day of Daikan, water ascetics run through the Kusakoshi area after dousing themselves with cold water, then visit Kumano Shrine. Beginning as ascetic training for practitioners of the Ontake faith, this is a local event to pray for good health and safety at home.
About Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu
Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu is a winter ascetic ritual held in the Kusakoshi area of Miyota Town on the day of Daikan, the coldest day of the year.
In the past, it was practiced as ascetic training by practitioners of the Ontake faith. Today, ordinary adult men in the prime of life bathe in icy water at crossroads in the Kusakoshi area and visit Kumano Shrine.
This event has been passed down through the community as a way to pray for good health and safety at home.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the sight of water ascetics wearing tokon on their heads, red fundoshi loincloths, and straw sandals as they run to the next tub while dousing themselves with cold water.
Records also describe the fundoshi freezing after the water ritual and people warming themselves.
A distinctive feature is the work of Kusakoshi residents who support the festival behind the scenes, including making tokon and preparing soup, as well as the ascetics’ participation.
Kusakoshi’s winter water ritual: dousing in the cold of Daikan to carry the community’s prayers forward
What to expect
The festival begins with a religious rite, followed by a purification rite along the route the water ascetics will take.
The water ascetics run through the area, dousing themselves with cold water from a large tub, and dedicate their tokon to Kumano Shrine.
Records describe how, after the water ritual, everyone warms themselves with sake and kasujiru (sake-lees soup) before sharing a communal meal.
How to take part
必要人数：約60名（水行者）
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kusakoshi area (Kusakoshi Community Center–Kumano Shrine)
- Train and bus
Shinano Railway: Get off at Miyota Station, then take a taxi for about 7 minutes
- By car
About 8 km from the Saku IC exit on the Joshin-etsu Expressway
Event venue 長野県御代田町 草越地区
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on the day of Daikan (January 20)
- 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 Nagano Prefecture / Miyota Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu
In the past, Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu was practiced as an ascetic training ritual by practitioners of the Ontake faith.
Today, people from the Kusakoshi area take on roles as water ascetics and support staff, making this an event involving the whole community.
A 2026 record also mentions the former custom of household heads becoming water ascetics to pray for prosperity in newly built homes. The event is designated as an intangible folk cultural property of Nagano Prefecture, preserving traces of ascetic practices associated with Ontake worship.
Official information
Asama Jomon Museum, “Miyota Cultural Heritage”
Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu at a Glance
Kusakoshi no Kan no Mizu is a winter ascetic ritual held in the Kusakoshi area of Miyota Town on the day of Daikan, the coldest day of the year.
Highlights include the water ascetics running after dousing themselves with cold water and visiting Kumano Shrine, as well as the community’s support, such as making tokon and preparing soup.
Originating as ascetic training for practitioners of the Ontake faith, the event has been passed down as a way to pray for good health, safety at home, and a bountiful harvest.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
