Yamato Nogami Rituals

Festival highlights

A major highlight is seeing local people carry a snake-shaped figure made of straw through their village.

In some communities, the figure is offered to Nogami after the procession, while in others, models of farm tools such as hoes and spades are made and dedicated.

Even among Nogami rituals, the shape of the snake, the way offerings are made, and the people who take part vary from one community to another.

The rituals offer a chance to experience Nara’s agricultural culture while comparing local traditions.

Straw snakes wind through local communities in Nara, carrying prayers for the rice harvest

What to expect

For the rituals, local people prepare a snake-shaped figure using rice straw and other materials, then carry it through the village.

After the procession, communities perform rites that vary by location, such as offering the figure to Nogami or placing it in a mound or in a tree.

In the example from Byodobō-chō, Tenri City, the snake is first offered at a shrine, then carried in procession along a waterway and finally placed in a mound in a rice field.

The sequence of events varies by community, so it is important to respect local customs when visiting.

Source: 奈良祭時記～平等坊のノガミサン / 奈良県

Location and access

Venue and address

Held in communities across Nara Prefecture where the rituals are passed down.

The content and location of the Yamato Nogami Rituals vary by community.

Address Communities across Nara Prefecture where the rituals are passed down (varies by city, town, and area)

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Dates and season

It is usually held in early June, around June 5.

The date and event details vary by place where the tradition is observed, so check the information for each destination.

Many areas hold it around the Tango no Sekku, and the ritual has been passed down as an early-summer agricultural observance.

Tips for your visit

The Yamato No-gami observances vary from place to place, even when they share the same name.

Some include processions carrying a straw snake and offerings, so it is important to watch quietly from a spot that does not impede the event.

Some processions pass through settlements, farmland, or along waterways. Please follow local guidance on where you may go.

The 2026 dates and viewing arrangements should be checked with each destination.

Origins and History of Yamato Nogami Rituals

Nogami, also called Noshin or Notsugo, have been worshipped throughout Japan as one of the guardian deities of rice cultivation.

Rituals associated with Nogami have been passed down in especially large numbers in the Yamato Basin and around Lake Biwa.

The Yamato Nogami Rituals were selected in 1983 as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property for which measures such as documentation should be undertaken, due to the diversity of local practices and their wide distribution.

Official information

You can find an overview of the Yamato Nogami Rituals and information about the communities where they are passed down in the Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.

Nara Prefecture’s introduction to traditional events describes representative forms of Nogami rituals passed down in the prefecture and the differences between local traditions.

For the event in Byodobō-chō, Tenri City, Nara Prefecture’s public newsletter provides information about the venue and date.

Yamato Nogami Rituals at a Glance

The Yamato Nogami Rituals are traditional events held in various parts of Nara Prefecture to honor Nogami, the guardian deity of rice cultivation.

A typical form involves carrying a snake-shaped figure made of straw through the community and offering it to Nogami, but the methods of dedication and the way the rituals unfold vary from place to place.