Ne Matsuri

Festival highlights

The greatest highlight is that, unlike at most festivals, not watching the procession is the proper conduct to observe.

The procession carrying the shintai from Hisamaru Jinja to Kobe Ōmiya Shinmeisha is said to proceed quietly along a route of about 600 meters, taking thirty to forty minutes.

The following day, a kangyō rite returns the shintai, and this round trip between the two shrines shapes the festival.

Rather than being a spectacle to watch, the festival is distinctive in that the entire community supports the rites while keeping out of sight.

A secret rite in Tahara, passed down without being seen

What to expect

In the present-day rites, priests and shrine representatives gather at Hisamaru Jinja and, after opening remarks and other proceedings, form a Gosenkō procession carrying a box containing the shintai to Shinmeisha.

A Gosenkō report ceremony is held at Shinmeisha, after which the people involved return temporarily to Hisamaru Jinja.

On the following Day of the Rooster, the shintai is returned from Shinmeisha to Hisamaru Jinja, and on the Day of the Dog, rites and a report ceremony are held at Kaminokama Jinja.

How to take part

Nematsuri has been passed down as a shinji in which people must not directly watch the procession carrying the shintai.

This is not a festival where members of the public join or watch the procession. Notices ask people to avoid passing through the surrounding area while the rites are taking place.

To respect local customs, anyone wishing to participate must follow guidance from the shrine or the community.

It is said that a ceremony of apology is held at a later date if someone happens to see it.

Source: 田原の奇祭、見てはいけない「寝祭り」の真実！ 禁断の祭りの内容をテレビ初公開｜読むテレビ愛知

Location and access

Address

Tahara City

Host municipality 愛知県田原市

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

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

It is usually held around the first Days of the Monkey and Rooster, excluding the first three days of the lunar New Year, and falls around late January to February.

The rites center on the shintai’s movement over two days and continue with a report ceremony the following day.

Because the date varies according to the lunar calendar and the Chinese zodiac, check separate announcements for the specific schedule.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

At the Ne Matsuri, an important local rule is not to watch the procession carrying the sacred object or the rites directly.

As the festival approaches, signs asking people to avoid using nearby roads are put up, and on the day, the area around the shrine is said to be deserted.

Please do not come near to watch or try to find the procession; follow the signs and local guidance.

If someone accidentally sees it, a custom is said to have developed of receiving prayers at the Apology Festival.

Origins and History of Ne Matsuri

There is still no generally accepted account of the origins or precise history of the Ne Matsuri.

One of the oldest known records is the 1707 work Mikawa Suzume, which describes a festival for Hisamaru on the Saru and Tori days of the New Year, when parishioners shut their doors and did not go outside.

The 1712 work Wakan Sansai Zue contains a similar account and indicates that the festival’s origins had already been forgotten.

Since the modern era, the form of the rites has changed, and today the festival centers on a procession that moves the sacred object between the 2 shrines.

Ne Matsuri at a Glance

The Ne Matsuri is a sacred rite at which watching is prohibited, passed down at Hisamaru Shrine and Kobe Omiya Shinmei Shrine in Kobe-cho, Tahara City.

The festival centers on a procession that moves the sacred object between the 2 shrines, followed by rites for its return and a report.

There are several theories about its origins, and a 1707 record also describes the custom of shutting doors and not going outside.

Visitors should not come for the purpose of watching, and it is important to respect the community’s quiet observance and the rule to avoid using the roads.