The New Year’s observances of Owase Kukiura

Festival highlights

Highlights include the great bonfire lit at Nirakura on New Year’s Eve, shishimai kagura, and the traditional archery held during the Buri Festival on the 5th.

In the archery ritual, 2 first-year junior high school students serving as kagitori shoot arrows in the grounds of Shinganji Temple. Spectators break the target and take it home.

On the night of the 4th, with kagura at the head, festival participants and association officers make their way to the shrine, accompanied by chants such as Ise Ondo.

Source: 国指定文化財等データベース

A New Year’s observance where prayers of a fishing town live on through a great bonfire, kagura, and archery

What to expect

On New Year’s Eve, children gather firewood and light a great bonfire at Nirakura. Afterward, those involved head to Kuki Shrine for an overnight vigil.

New Year’s Day features festivities and sumo at Nirakura. From the 2nd to the 4th, events include abstinence, prayers, archery practice, target-making, and the eve-of-festival ceremony.

The main festival on the 5th includes sake-cup rituals, kagura, a procession through town, archery, and prayers at the temple, and concludes with a communal meal after the Star Festival.

How to take part

Festival roles are filled by people who hold shares in the Kukiura Cooperative, a union for yellowtail set-net fishing, as well as local prayer leaders, village groups, and assigned participants selected from the community.

Gagitori is performed by 2 boys in their first year of junior high school, and children also take on roles such as retrieving arrows.

No information is available about general visitors taking on roles in the rituals.

Location and access

Venue and address

Held at several locations in Kuki Town, Owase City, including Kuki Shrine, Nirakura, and Shinganji Temple.

Parking

Kuki Shrine has a parking lot.

Source: 九木神社 | 尾鷲市

Address Kuki Town, Owase City, Mie Prefecture

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

It is held every year from December 31 to January 5.

It begins with Hyoken-gyo and an overnight vigil on New Year’s Eve, followed by the Nirakura Festival on New Year’s Day, the start of Gagitori’s period of abstinence on the 2nd, and the opening rites and eve-of-festival observances on the 4th. It continues with the Grand Prayer, Gagitori’s various札, and the Star Festival on the 5th.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

The event takes place at several locations—not only Kuki Shrine, but also Nirakura, Shinganji Temple, and streets around town.

Since the time and location change for events such as the New Year’s Eve bonfire, kagura, the procession through town, and archery in the temple grounds, take care not to disrupt the proceedings when watching.

At archery events and ceremonies, follow the directions of those involved and do not touch the targets or equipment.

Nearby attractions

Kuki Shrine is one of the festival venues and is located in Kuki Town, Owase City.

A shrine enshrining Sugawara no Michizane; continue farther and the path leads to Misaki Shrine at the tip of the cape.

When visiting places associated with the festival, please respect the shrine and local events and follow guidance on the grounds and in the surrounding area.

Temples and shrinesOwase City

尾鷲神社

日本の三重県尾鷲市にある神社

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

Photo and data sources×

写真：HIRATA Yasuyuki / CC BY 3.0

Photo source ·

Facility data source

Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of The New Year’s observances of Owase Kukiura

In the past, it was held from New Year’s Eve under the old lunar calendar through January 8. It is now held according to the Gregorian calendar, and the period has been shortened to end on January 5.

It is said to have originally been held as an Okonai observance connected with the principal image of Shinganji Temple, and preserves the form of a syncretic New Year’s ritual celebrating good fortune in advance.

According to Mie Prefecture’s introduction, many of the traditional events in Kuki were shaped by Gendatsu, a priest in the 17th century.

Source: 三重県：九木浦正月祷屋行事：尾鷲市

Official information

Owase City’s cultural properties guide provides details about the event, its location, the preservation group, and its designation category as a cultural property.

The Database of National Cultural Properties also lists the name, event period, and details.

For inquiries, contact the Lifelong Learning and Culture Section of the Culture and Sports Promotion Division, Owase City Board of Education.

The New Year’s observances of Owase Kukiura at a Glance

The New Year’s observances of Owase Kukiura are a fishing-related festival that has been safeguarded by the Kukiura Cooperative Association and people who take on local roles.

A great bonfire, an overnight vigil, shishimai kagura, sumo, a procession through town, and traditional archery take place from New Year’s Eve through January 5.

The main festival on the 5th, also called the Buri Festival, carries local beliefs and traditions into the present as an observance praying for a good catch.