Yudate kagura, Inviting the Gods to Bathe and Cleanse the Impurities of the Past Year
This is a special program presented in collaboration with one of Heartland’s partner organizations, dedicated to preserving the traditional culture of the local area.
Located in the deeply mountainous region of southern Nagano Prefecture, Toyama-go is an intimate, tranquil hamlet. Toyama-go’s Shimotsuki Matsuri ritual is a yudate kagura (kagura is a Shintoism-rooted sacred Japanese dance and music ritual dedicated to the gods, and yudate literally means “to boil water” – yudate kagura is a kind of kagura which involves boiling water as a part of the ritual) held at about ten shrines in the area on different days in mid-December – the season of winter solstice when daylight is shortest and it is believed that the life force becomes weak. Shimotsuki, meaning “the month of frost”, comes from the name of this season of the lunar calendar.
Although the content of the ritual differs slightly from shrine to shrine, the yudate kagura begins with a purification ceremony to welcome the gods, followed by the boiling of water in a cauldron, to be offered to the gods. At the climax of the festival, figures wearing a variety of masks representing the gods appear and splash hot water from the boiling cauldrons with their bare hands. It is believed that this misogi-no-yu (purifying water) sprinkled over the local people will rid them of the evils from the past 12 months and give them new blessings to welcome the coming year. The series of rituals culminates in a solemn prayer for the gods to return home.
Become immersed in the swirling smoke from the cooking stove of a small, intimate shrine, and experience ancient Japanese traditions of prayer firsthand, as local residents commune with their gods.
Culture/Activity
・Recommended for those with an adventurous spirit who want to travel deep into Japan!
・This is a very precious festival in Toyama-go, which is considered one of the three most mysterious places in Japan, where one receives a sense of connection with the world of the gods.
・Dinner is served around an open hearth with local seasonal dishes. Enjoy the bounty of nature in Toyama-go!
・Your stay will be at a quiet inn nestled in the mountainous Toyama-go.
・All transportation is by private car, so it is easy and comfortable.
・The tour will be conducted in a mixed group with Japanese customers. Please enjoy meeting other tour participants.
85,000 JPY~
Heartland Japan
・This tour will start accepting applications from Japanese customers before it starts accepting applications from inbound customers.
・Therefore, even if the number of inbound customers reaches the minimum number to run the tour (3
people), the tour may be cancelled if the number of Japanese customers does not reach the minimum number to run the tour.
・If the tour is organized, inbound guests will travel in the same group as Japanese guests, but inbound guests will have their own English-speaking guide.
・If you wish to apply for a tour after the application deadline (60 days prior to the scheduled tour date) or wish to increase the number of participants, we may be able to accommodate your request depending on the availability of the tour. Please contact us.
2 days and 1 night
[Arrangements are being made to begin accepting applications in autumn 2024.]
FYR: Tour schedule conducted in 2023.
[Day1]
11:20 Meet at Ringo no Sato
Lunch at Atarajima (Inari-zushi – sushi wrapped in fried tofu)
Visit Kami-machi Sho-hachimangu and Matsuri Densho-kan Tenpaku
Onojima-hachimangu (Observe Shimotsuki Matsuri)
Dinner at Shimabata (around a Japanese irori hearth)
Onojimahachimangu (Observe Shimotsuki
Matsuri)
Dinner at Shimabata (around a Japanese irori hearth)
Onojima-hachimangu (Observee Shimotsuki Matsuri) (the observation finishes at 22:00)
Stay at Shimabata
[Day2]
09:00 Departure from Shimabata
Factory tour at Kobahashi Konnyaku (traditional Japanese food made from konnyaku yams
Roadside Station (Michi-no Eki) Toyama-go (purchase popular sweet buns, if you like!)
11:15 Tour finishes at Ringo no Sato
*All transfers are by private vehicle.
Ringo no Sato (tentative)
[By highway bus] Approx. 1.5 hours from Nagoya and 4 hours from Shinjuku. Please get off at the Igarashi Bus Stop. Ringo no Sato is the building where this bus stop is located.
August 13 ~ 14, 2024
No restriction
(Please let us know, however, if your group includes small children)
30 days prior
(Please contact us for applications after that date.)
Minimum 3 Maximum 6
Please wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes suitable for moving around.
2
The second part of the Shimotsuki Festival tour will be in the evening.
1
No special requirements
Transportation to/from the meeting/end point, 1 lunch fee, 1 night accommodation fee (including 1 dinner and 1 breakfast), program fee, English guide fee.
Transportation to/from the meeting point, insurance (please purchase travel insurance in your own country), anything else not specified in “what is included” above.
(Bank transfer fees are the responsibility of the participants)
N/A
[Fees in case of cancellation on behalf of the customer ]
– Cancellation 10-8 days before the starting day of the tour: 20% of the tour price.
– Cancellation 7-2 days before the starting day of the tour: 30% of the tour price.
– Cancellation the day immediately before the starting day of the tour: 40% of the tour price.
– Cancellation before the start of the tour on the day of the tour: 50% of the tour price.
– Cancellation after the start of the tour or the traveler does not participate in the tour without notice (no show): 100% of the tour price.
[Cancellation at the discretion of the organizer]
– If the tour operator deems it difficult to ensure the safety of passengers due to inclement weather or other unavoidable circumstances, the tour will be cancelled prior to the start of the tour.
– The route may be changed or the tour may be cancelled due to weather conditions after the tour has started.
– In these cases, no cancellation fee will be charged to the customer. Refunds or other measures will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Japanese Standard Travel Conditions.