A summer prayer in Sobue, asking for health and protection from illness through the red mark and the chinowa
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on the third Sunday of July (the ring-passing event is currently suspended) / Every year (currently suspended)
- Location
- Takakuma Hachiman Shrine
- Area
- Aichi Prefecture・Inazawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h · 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/24
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri is an observance in Sobue-cho, Inazawa City, in which people have entrusted their wishes for health and protection from illness to the Akamaru ritual, passing through a chinowa, and roasted beans to ward off misfortune. The ring-passing event is currently suspended.
About Takakuma no Wa-kuguri
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri is an observance held in midsummer at Takakuma Hachiman Shrine in Sobue-cho, Inazawa City, to ward off various evil diseases.
It was formerly held every year on the third Sunday of July, and included the Akamaru ritual, praying for health and protection from illness, as well as the custom of receiving roasted beans to ward off misfortune.
The ring-passing event is currently suspended.
Source: 市指定文化財 高熊の輪くぐり | 稲沢市
Festival highlights
A highlight is the Akamaru ritual: a bundle of round, bleached cotton cloth is dabbed with vermilion ink, and a red mark is placed on the forehead.
This is an act of prayer for health and protection from illness, and is believed to have originated in a ritual to ward off worms that was performed only for children.
The sequence of customs also defines this observance: visitors receive a , pass through a chinowa, and are given roasted beans to ward off misfortune.
A summer prayer in Sobue, asking for health and protection from illness through the red mark and the chinowa
What to expect
The observance includes the Akamaru ritual, praying for health and protection from illness, in which a red mark made by dabbing a bundle of bleached cotton cloth with vermilion ink is placed on the forehead.
Afterward, the tradition is to receive a gohei, pass through a chinowa, and be given roasted beans to ward off misfortune.
The Akamaru ritual is believed to have originated in a ritual to ward off worms that was performed only for children.
The ring-passing event is currently suspended.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Takakuma Hachiman Shrine (Sobue, Sobue-cho, Inazawa City)
Address Sobue, Sobue-cho, Inazawa City
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on the third Sunday of July (the ring-passing event is currently suspended)
- Frequency
Every year (currently suspended)
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 Aichi Prefecture / Inazawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The ring-passing event is currently suspended.
If planning a visit, do not assume the event will take place; instead, check information about this cultural property and the traditions associated with it, including the Akamaru ritual, passing through a chinowa, and receiving roasted beans.
Nearby attractions
尾張大国霊神社
愛知県稲沢市にある神社
Origins and History of Takakuma no Wa-kuguri
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri is believed to have originated in a ritual to ward off worms that was performed only for children.
Held to ward off the various evil diseases of midsummer, it was traditionally celebrated every year on the third Sunday of July at Takakuma Hachiman Shrine.
In Heisei 17July 1, it was designated a municipal intangible folk cultural property.
The ring-passing event is currently suspended.
Official information
Inazawa City: “Municipally Designated Cultural Property: Takakuma no Wa-kuguri”
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri at a Glance
Takakuma no Wa-kuguri is an intangible folk cultural property passed down at Takakuma Hachiman Shrine in Sobue-cho, Inazawa City.
Its distinctive customs include the Akamaru ritual, in which a red mark is placed on the forehead; receiving a gohei and passing through a chinowa; and receiving roasted beans to ward off misfortune.
It is believed to have originated in a ritual to ward off worms in children, and the ring-passing event is currently suspended.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/24
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