Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko

Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko is a festival in which residents of the district dedicate intricate paper-cut works they have made at Rokkakudo. The washi paper-cutting technique, incorporating hemp-leaf patterns, is closely linked to local life and prayer.

About Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko

Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko is an event in which paper-cut works passed down in the Sawanobori district of Minami-Alps City are dedicated at the Rokkakudo festival.

About 5–10 sheets of Mino washi are layered, then designs and patterns are cut through the stack with handmade blades.

Each year, by the festival in October, residents of the district create works and dedicate them at Rokkakudo on the day of the festival.

After the festival, the works are distributed to households throughout the district and displayed on family altars as a prayer for household safety and a bountiful harvest.

Festival highlights

The highlight is the intricate pattern created by cutting through the layered washi together, rather than cutting each sheet individually.

Sawanobori kiriko traditionally carves hemp-leaf patterns into the designs, giving it a distinctive character among paper-cut crafts.

Completing a work can take about six months, with 3 hours of work each day, and the festival features the fruits of techniques passed down through the community.

Sawanobori’s autumn festival, where washi paper-cutting art is dedicated at Rokkakudo

What to expect

In the district, designs for kiriko are conceived in preparation for the Rokkakudo festival, and the works are made by layering washi paper and cutting through it with blades.

The completed kiriko paper-cut works are dedicated at Rokkakudo on the day of the festival.

After the festival, the works are distributed to households throughout the district and displayed on family altars.

Location and access

Venue and address: Sawanobori Rokkakudo / Sawanobori, Minami-Alps City
Train and bus: Local bus from Kofu Station on the JR Chuo Main Line

Address Sawanobori, Minami-Alps City

Travel by taxi PRFind a taxi or private transfer for your journey.Find a taxi on Kiwitaxi Long-distance buses are another option PRFind routes and fares from your departure point to your destination.Find highway buses on Rakuten Travel

Dates and season

Season: Each year, October
Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

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 Yamanashi Prefecture / Minami-Alps City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

Supported by Rakuten Developers

Origins and History of Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko

Sawanobori kiriko is a local craft technique said to have a history of more than 300 years.

When the youth group dissolved in 1975, the district formed the Kiriko Preservation Society, taking the initiative to protect the kiriko and pass on the technique.

The tradition was designated an intangible folk cultural property of the former Kushigata Town in 1976 and of Yamanashi Prefecture in 1996, and has been passed down alongside the festival.

Official information

Minami-Alps City official website, “Rokkakudo Kiriko (Sawanobori)” / Yamanashi Prefecture official website, “Yamanashi Cultural Properties Guide” / Sawanobori Kiriko Preservation Society official website

Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko at a Glance

Sawanobori Rokkakudo Kiriko is a festival of dedication and paper-cutting craft passed down in the Sawanobori district of Minami-Alps City.

A distinctive feature of the technique of layering Mino washi and cutting out patterns is the incorporation of hemp-leaf designs.

Residents of the district create works for the festival and dedicate them at Rokkakudo. Afterward, the works are distributed to households and used in prayers for household safety and a bountiful harvest.

Sources and references