A traditional Yoshii event in which participants shoot at a rice-flour boar to pray for a good harvest and safety in the new year
Yoshii Shishiuchi Event
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year December / Every year
- Location
- Various locations in Yoshii Town, Sasebo City (at the Mountain Deity’s okokura in the Otokishio district)
- Area
- Nagasaki Prefecture・Sasebo City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 20 min · flight time only)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
- 2026/10/19
An annual event passed down in Yoshii Town, Sasebo City, in which participants shoot a rice-flour boar with a bow and arrow to pray for a good harvest and protection from crop-damaging animals.
About Yoshii Shishiuchi Event
The Yoshii Shishiuchi event is an annual event passed down in various parts of Yoshii Town, Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture.
In front of a small shrine called an “okokura,” dedicated to the Mountain Deity, participants shoot a bow and arrow at a wild boar made of rice flour.
It is a local custom to protect crops from wild animals such as boars and pray for a good harvest the following year.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Festival highlights
A highlight is when participants take turns shooting arrows at a rice-flour boar model called shitogi.
It is said that being hit by an arrow brings good fortune; at the end, an arrow is thrust into the target to signify that it has been killed.
Another distinctive custom is to treat the boar as boar meat, roast it over a bonfire, and enjoy it with sacred sake.
A traditional Yoshii event in which participants shoot at a rice-flour boar to pray for a good harvest and safety in the new year
What to expect
In the Otokishio district, for example, household heads and others gather at the community center to prepare offerings, bows and arrows made of dwarf bamboo, and a boar made of rice flour.
They move to the Mountain Deity’s okokura, present the offerings, and prepare the and bonfire. After the priest recites prayers, household heads and others take turns shooting arrows.
After the event, participants return to the community center for a naorai communal meal, bringing the event to a close.
How to take part
The central archery ritual and its preparations are carried out by the heads of households and others.
Whether general visitors may take part by shooting arrows or join the naorai depends on how each district runs the event and on the guidance given that day.
If you wish to watch, it is important to do so quietly without disrupting the local community’s proceedings.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Various locations in Yoshii Town, Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture.
In the Otokishio district, for example, the event is held at the Mountain Deity’s okokura on the boundary between the mountains and the settlement, after which participants move to the community center.
Event venue 長崎県佐世保市 佐世保市吉井町の各所
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Every year December
- Frequency
Every year
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 Nagasaki Prefecture / Sasebo City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The event takes place at locations specific to each district, such as an okokura on the boundary between the mountains and the settlement.
Please take care where you walk and of your surroundings, and observe without disrupting proceedings during the Shinto rites and archery ritual.
As bonfires and bows and arrows are used, follow the guidance of the organizers on site and keep a sufficient distance.
Nearby attractions
ハウステンボス
長崎県佐世保市にあるテーマパーク
ハウステンボス美術館
長崎県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
九十九島パールシーリゾート
長崎県佐世保市にある水族館・遊覧船などの複合施設
佐世保市博物館島瀬美術センター
長崎県佐世保市にある美術館
海上自衛隊佐世保史料館
長崎県佐世保市にある史料館
Origins and History of Yoshii Shishiuchi Event
The Yoshii Shishiuchi event is a ritualized form of hunting practice that has been passed down in various places as part of the district’s annual events.
At an okokura dedicated to the Mountain Deity, participants traditionally shoot a rice-flour boar with a bow and arrow.
Also called the “Sedo Festival,” it is said to involve purifying the village in advance so that misfortune does not enter from behind it in the new year.
Official information
Information about its listing as a cultural property can be checked in the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ “Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties.”
In 2018, the Yoshii Shishiuchi event was listed as an “Intangible Folk Cultural Property for which measures such as documentation should be taken.”
Yoshii Shishiuchi Event at a Glance
The Yoshii Shishiuchi event is an annual event passed down in various parts of Yoshii Town, Sasebo City, in which people pray for a good harvest and protection from crop-damaging animals.
At an okokura, participants shoot arrows from a bow at a rice-flour boar target, then roast a model representing boar meat over a bonfire before moving on to a naorai communal meal.
The venue and how to participate vary by district, so please respect the local proceedings when observing.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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