A traditional transfer of enshrinement: 3 masu connect the districts in prayers for a good harvest
Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- day 17 of lunar month 10 / Every 3 years
- Location
- The duty districts in 4 districts, including the Fukui, Tamano, and Isshiki districts of Tanagura Town
- Area
- Fukushima Prefecture・Tanagura Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This traditional event passes a set of 3 masu to the next duty district across 4 districts, including the Isshiki district of Tanagura Town. The masu are enshrined in a raised temporary shrine, preserving an old form of agricultural ritual praying for a good harvest.
About Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual
The Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual is a historic festival passed down in areas including the Isshiki district of Tanagura Town.
A set of 3 masu is passed from the district that has fulfilled its duty to the next duty district.
The local tradition continues as one of the activities that shape Tanagura Town’s historic townscape.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the passing of 3 masu together as a set: a one-sho masu, a five-go masu, and a two-go-five-shaku masu, which are treated as sacred objects.
The masu are passed from a home in the duty district to a home in the next duty district. At each transfer of enshrinement, a raised temporary shrine is built on the grounds of a in that district, where the masu are enshrined.
The event’s distinctive character is reflected in the way it tours 4 districts.
A traditional transfer of enshrinement: 3 masu connect the districts in prayers for a good harvest
What to expect
The event follows the tōya system, in which the masu enshrined as the sacred object is passed from a home in the duty district to a home in the next duty district.
When the masu are transferred to the next district, a raised temporary shrine is set up on the grounds of a jinja in that district, and the masu are enshrined there.
The event is described as touring four districts: Fukui, Tamano, and Isshiki, as well as Minowa in Asakawa Town.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The duty districts, including the Fukui, Tamano, and Isshiki districts of Tanagura Town (the event tours 4 districts)
Address The duty districts, including the Isshiki district of Tanagura Town
Dates and season
- Season
day 17 of lunar month 10
- Frequency
Every 3 years
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 Fukushima Prefecture / Tanagura Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual
The Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual is considered to preserve particularly well an old form of agricultural ritual praying for a plentiful harvest.
In Showa 63March 22, it was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture; its location is listed as Isshiki, Tanagura Town.
The sources currently available do not specify when the event began or how it was established.
Official information
Tanagura Town’s official website describes the Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual in its “Tanagura Town Plan for the Preservation and Enhancement of Historic Townscapes” as one of the activities reflecting the town’s history and traditions.
The plan was drawn up to preserve Tanagura Town’s historic townscape and pass it on to future generations.
Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual at a Glance
The Omasu Myojin Masu-passing Ritual is a festival in which a set of 3 masu is passed in turn among 4 districts, including the Isshiki district of Tanagura Town.
The set consists of a one-sho masu, a five-go masu, and a two-go-five-shaku masu; at each transfer of enshrinement, they are placed in a raised temporary shrine.
It preserves an old form of agricultural ritual praying for a good harvest and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Fukushima Prefecture.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
