Ōnan Town: Where Nature Itself is a Tourist Attraction
Ōnan Town boasts an abundance of natural tourist spots. At Mizuho Highland Ski Resort, night skiing and artificial snow facilities are available, allowing you to enjoy skiing and snowboarding on 13 diverse courses.
Additionally, the Ōnan Youth Travel Village offers a comprehensive leisure facility with auto camping, a swimming pool, and a playground, making it ideal for families, friends, and club activities.
At Iwami Onsen Kiri-no-Yu, you can relax surrounded by greenery, soothing your travel fatigue. It’s the perfect place to unwind amidst nature from time to time.
Source: Walker+
Let’s Go to the Tsugi-no-hi Festival!
Location: Kamo Shrine (Asuna, Ōnan Town)
Dates: Late May annually
Access: About 10 minutes by car from JR Sankō Line “Kuchiba Station”
URL: http://www.all-iwami.com/modules/guide/index.php?action=SpotView&spot_id=318 (Official Tourism Site of Western Shimane)
The Tsugi-no-hi Festival is the grand festival of Kamo Shrine in Ōnan Town. It traces its roots back to Kyoto’s Aoi Festival and has been a venerable festival for about 650 years.
The name “Tsugi-no-hi” (Next Day) comes from the ancient tradition of holding the festival on the day of the rooster in April. If there were two rooster days in a month, the next rooster day would be chosen, and if there were three, the middle one was selected for the festival.
During the festival, in addition to the main event of offering the umbrella floats, there are performances of Kagura (Shinto theatrical dance) and Tauebayashi (rice-planting songs).
Source: Jalan
The Highlight: The Giant Umbrella Floats!
On the first day, a parade of umbrella floats takes place. These floats, known as Kasahoko, are enormous umbrellas with a diameter of 3.5 meters, a height of 5 meters, and a weight of 40-50 kilograms, lavishly decorated with five-colored streamers. The sight of these massive floats, filling the streets lined with traditional buildings, is awe-inspiring.
Parishioners pull the Kasahoko through the streets with loud cheers. Once the Kasahoko have paraded through the streets, they are tied to the walls of homes, where they stand, exuding a commanding presence.
Source: GAZOO
A Small but Historically Significant Festival
Although the festival is relatively small in scale, it holds a cherished 650-year history. It has been passed down with great care over the years.
Additionally, at Kamo Shrine, the offering shrine, there is a replica of the nationally designated important cultural property, “Itae Choshoku Jinba-zu” (Woodblock Print of a Sacred Horse). Be sure to check it out when you visit.
Featured Image: Credit to Natsukashi no Kuni Iwami
(Editor: 千八乃)
