A spring festival in Ketaka, entrusting the hopes for the year to 12 arrows
The Momote Ritual
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Sundays in the latter half of April / Every year
- Location
- Himeji
- Area
- Tottori Prefecture・Tottori City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 15 min–1 h 30 min · flight time only)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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/25
The Momote Ritual, passed down at Himeji Jinja in Yatsukamizu, Ketaka-cho, Tottori City, is a spring festival rite that uses 12 arrows to divine the fortunes of the year ahead.
About The Momote Ritual
The Momote Ritual is a festival rite held during the spring festival at Himeji Jinja in Yatsukamizu, Ketaka-cho, Tottori City.
Twelve arrows are shot toward a target, and their accuracy is used to divine the fortunes of the coming year. As a folk custom passed down in the region, it has been designated an intangible folk cultural property by Tottori Prefecture.
It is said to have begun as a way to quell epidemics, and the ritual offers prayers for health and peace in the community.
Source: 鳥取市内の指定・登録文化財（一覧表） - 鳥取市公式ウェブサイト（文化財課） / 伝統文化 | 気高町観光協会
Festival highlights
The highlight is the 12 arrows shot at the climax of the ritual.
The arrows represent the 12 months of the year and are shot toward a target made of hanging straw matting.
Since the year’s fortunes are divined based on how well the arrows hit the target, you can appreciate both the archery itself and the prayers seeking to look ahead to the year for the community.
A spring festival in Ketaka, entrusting the hopes for the year to 12 arrows
What to expect
The ritual is held as part of Himeji Jinja’s spring festival. In its final major scene, 12 arrows are shot at a target made of hanging straw matting.
The 12 arrows represent the 12 months of the year, and their accuracy is used to divine the fortunes of the year ahead.
A 2001 account describes a procession of led by a lion circling a small hill in the . It also depicts a purifying the area with a halberd and a lion performing movements to drive away evil spirits.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Himeji Jinja (Yatsukamizu, Ketaka-cho, Tottori City)
Address Yatsukamizu, Ketaka-cho, Tottori City
Dates and season
- Season
Sundays in the latter half of April
- 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 Tottori Prefecture / Tottori City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
かにっこ館
鳥取県鳥取市賀露町にある水族館
わらべ館
鳥取県鳥取市にある童謡・唱歌・おもちゃがテーマの博物館
因幡万葉歴史館
鳥取県鳥取市にある博物館
宇倍神社
鳥取県鳥取市国府町宮下に位置する神社
河原城
鳥取県鳥取市河原町谷一木にあった城、および同地に建てられた模擬天守
流しびなの館
鳥取県鳥取市用瀬町にあるひな人形の展示施設
写真：Original uploader was KASEI (Edited by 663h ) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
渡辺美術館
鳥取県鳥取市にある博物館
白兎神社
鳥取県鳥取市にある神社
砂の美術館
鳥取県鳥取市にある美術館
鳥取城
鳥取県の城
鳥取市あおや郷土館
鳥取県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
鳥取市歴史博物館
鳥取県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Origins and History of The Momote Ritual
The Momote Ritual is said to have begun as a way to quell an epidemic that spread across various provinces around 770.
In the past, it was a New Year’s ritual, but a program summary from 2001 says it is now held as a spring festival in April.
It has been passed down as a regional tradition and ritual for driving away epidemics and praying for health throughout the year.
Official information
The Momote Ritual is listed in Tottori City’s register of designated and registered cultural properties as an intangible folk cultural property designated by Tottori Prefecture.
The venue is Himeji Jinja in Yatsukamizu, Ketaka-cho, Tottori City.
The Momote Ritual at a Glance
The Momote Ritual is an intangible folk cultural property designated by Tottori Prefecture, held during the spring festival at Himeji Jinja.
It is said to have begun as a way to quell epidemics. During the ritual, 12 arrows representing the 12 months of the year are shot at a target.
The ritual’s distinctive feature is that it uses the arrows’ accuracy to divine the year’s fortunes, reflecting prayers for the community’s health and peace.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/25
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