Shingenbara no Hi-ondori

Festival highlights

A highlight is when village men carry a giant torch and swing it to the accompaniment of bells and taiko.

The torches are said to be 2–3 m long and about 80 cm in diameter, and are swung in figure-eight patterns.

A cultural heritage description explains that the participants head to the site accompanied by taiko and flute hayashi, then, when the hayashi rhythm changes, dance while swinging the giant torch called a “tai” in a horizontal figure-eight pattern.

Source: ［ID:699］ 信玄原の火おんどり ： 資料情報 | 文化財ナビ愛知 |

The horizontal figure eight traced by the flames: a Shingenbara tradition honoring the war dead

What to expect

For the ritual, men dressed in happi, headbands, and sarumata loincloths perform a water purification rite, then head to Shingenzuka, the Hi-ondori venue, accompanied by taiko and flute hayashi.

At the site, they set fire to a giant torch made by packing reeds with fern and weaving them into a slatted mat.

They chant along with the hayashi, and when the rhythm changes, they dance while swinging the giant torch in a horizontal figure-eight pattern.

Location and access

Venue and address

Shingenzuka, behind the Shinshiro City Shitaragahara Historical Museum / 〒441-1305 Shingenbara, Takehiro, Shinshiro City

Train and bus

JR Iida Line: get off at Mikawa-Togo Station, then walk about 12 minutes

By car

About 8 minutes from Shin-Tomei Expressway’s Shinshiro IC / about 30 minutes from Shin-Tomei Expressway’s Hamamatsu-Inasa IC / about 30 minutes from Tomei Expressway’s Toyokawa IC

Address 〒441-1305 Shingenbara, Takehiro, Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture

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Dates and season

Season

Every year on August 15

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Nearby attractions

Castles and historic sitesShinshiro City

長篠城

愛知県新城市にあった城

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

Photo and data sources×

写真：First version: Aboshi at Japanese Wikipedia Second version: Mocchy at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

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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 Shingenbara no Hi-ondori

Shingenbara is the site of the Battle of Shitaragahara, part of the Battle of Nagashino, fought in Tensho 3 (1575) between the Oda-Tokugawa alliance and the Takeda army.

According to legend, many bees emerged from a mound where the dead from both armies had been buried after the battle, and the villagers believed they were the ghosts of fallen Takeda soldiers.

It is said that the festival Shingenbara no Hi-ondori began with a grand Segaki memorial service held there to console the spirits.

In Showa 40 May 21, it was designated an intangible folk cultural property by the prefecture.

Official information

A detailed page about “Shingenbara no Hi-ondori” on the official Shinshiro City website is listed as a related link.

Shingenbara no Hi-ondori at a Glance

Shingenbara no Hi-ondori is a fire festival based on the tradition of honoring those killed in the Battle of Shitaragahara, and has been passed down for more than 400 years.

Men in happi perform a water purification rite, then head to Shingenzuka accompanied by taiko and flute hayashi, where they set fire to a giant torch.

The sight of people dancing while swinging torches in figure eights and horizontal figure eights reflects the history of memorial rites and local tradition.