Gobo Festival
gobo festival 御坊祭 held annually th october shinohachiman shrine 小竹八幡神社 gobo city wakayama japan least year old biggest festival gobo hidaka district wakayama prefecture old saying want see crowd go gobo festival one source say around people attend festival nine district gobo city neighboring miahama town take part festival nakagumi hamanosegumi shimogumi kishinogumi gobocho nayagumi higashisonogumi kasugagumi kamigumi number district varied time one point district district called kasugagumi longer participates neighborhood partakes different activity including carrying omikoshi お神輿 portable shrine carrying yotsudaiko 四つ太鼓 wooden structure hold boy playing taiko drum playing traditional flute song banner raising performing lion dance 獅子舞 girl carry lantern play flute boy men carry lantern play taiko carry omikoshi yotsudaiko ceremony th preliminary celebration eve festival day known yoimatsuri 宵祭 gobo referred kasazoroe ceremony 傘揃え式 ceremony district banner brought together shrine ground banner important symbol status festival pm banner yotsudaiko portable shrine enter shrine ground order pas torus gate lion dance servant dance performed offering everyone departs morning th district banner portable shrine make procession shinto priest lead shinto ceremony performed procession make lap around town return shrine year yotsudaiko built anew yotsudaiko also accompany procession case procession go beach new yotsudaiko purified wave procession returned shrine dance sparrow dance kehon dance performed kehon dance designated prefecture number one abstract cultural asset next banner portable shrine yotsudaiko begin procession outside shrine lion dance yatsu dance performed inside end night district portable shrine enter shrine ground order although struggle one another keep entering long possible yotsudaiko chant rainenno rainenno nagonagori shanai mean cant help next year well reluctant part returned shrine hall lantern extinguished said ancestor spirit return well shrine festival end nakagumi 中組 nickname shinmachi 新町 nakagumis banner meant tell god festival begun raised right festival begin special meaning banner large made withstand strong wind hamanosegumi 濱之瀬組 nickname hama 濱 district joined gobo festival mihama town many member shinohachiman shrine migrated mihama gobo famous yotsudaiko chant saitekuryo shimogumi 下組 nickname chamen shimo 下 shimo district smallest number participant kishinogumi 紀小竹組 nickname kishino 紀小竹 kishino district participated gobo festival since edo era gobocho 御坊町 nickname gobo 御坊 nayagumi 名屋組 nickname naya 名屋 naya district used part different shrine called susa shrine began participating gobo matsuri meiji era susa shrine combined shinohachiman shrine higashisonogumi 東園組 nickname sono 園 higashisono relatively recent addition gobo festival large turnout participant reputation tough kasugagumi 春日組 nickname kasuga 春日 kasuga stopped participating festival rejoined kamigumi 上組 nickname tsubaki 椿 kamigumi last festival lineup last enter shrine ground festival wont end