Hana Matsuri (Tsuki District, Toei Town, Aichi Prefecture) 700 years of tradition of dancing

The "Hana Matsuri (Flower Festival)" has continued for 700 years deep in the mountains of Toei Town, Aichi Prefecture.
It is held sequentially in 10 districts of the town from November to January of the new year.
The Fugawa district is currently on hiatus due to a lack of people.
The common features are
Only one kettle in a venue called Maido.
The steam from the cauldron, which boils during the ritual called "Yudate", is believed to be the source of
The steam from the cauldron is believed to be the source of the 8 million deities that reside in the area,
In the sacred space filled with the steam
In the sacred space filled with the steam, people take turns to dedicate various dances to the gods.
The "Oni" dance is one of them.
The "Oni" dance, which is a part of the Hana Matsuri, has a special atmosphere and is unique to each district.
It is synonymous with the Hana Matsuri.
At the end of the festival, the people are invited to enjoy the "yubayashi," a traditional dance in which hot water from a kettle is sprinkled over the people.
with great excitement and blessings.
The gods are appeased and returned to the people.
We closely followed the Hana Matsuri held in the Tsuki area on November 22~23, 2023.
Characteristics of the Hana Matsuri in the Tsuki area
Orthodox and traditional style
Comparatively large in number of people and venue
The "Dedication Dance" and the "Shinto rituals" that precede and follow it are combined for a total of 32 hours of uninterrupted dancing.
　The schedule is extremely tight, with no stopping for a total of 32 hours.
　The schedule is fine-tuned every year.
Enthusiastic fans visit from all over Japan.
Please note that some expressions may be difficult to understand due to mechanical translation.

[@kosukemizutani666]

愛知県の誇るべき祭。一度見てみたいな。