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Festivals in Inada

What does the word "Omatsuri (festival)" remind you?
Potable shrines, night stands, show houses, cheap sweet shops. Only the word "Omatsuri" can make us happy. Even adults can remember their pleasant memories at Omatsuri. Omatsuri is a thing like that. Let's talk about festivals in Inada and Joetsu City.

Festivals at the Suwa Shrine.

The Suwa Shrine is famous for its over 900-year-old zelkova tree, and people here all love it.
The shrine has a lot of festivals through a year.

Spring
The spring festival is held in April. It is a festival to pray for rich harvest.
Because it is a spring festival, people play music and dance.

Summer
When Joetsu City has Gion festival, also called Joetsu-Matsuri, the shrine holds a summer festival.
People in each community get together and carry portable shrines.
Around the shrine, many stands are built. It is the hottest festival of all. One of tradition, carrying a portable shrine called Kawakudari, starts from Inada Bridge by the Suwa Shrine.

Autumn
We have another festival in October.
This is a festival that people thank for the rich harvest.


There are five shrines besides Suwa Shrine in Inada area.
Each shrine holds a God for each community.
They also have festivals to pray and thank for rich harvest both in spring and fall.
Nowadays some people also pray for peace in family and road safety.

Inada. River going down

The most famous event in Joetsu area is Gion festival. Although we don't know its origin for sure, it has been said that Tadateru Matsudaira started the festival in order to make the town prosperous when he built the Takada Castle. This 400-year-old festival had come down from generation to generation, and still continues. Every year, on July 23, the festival begins when the God in the Yasaka Shrine in Naoetsu arrives at Takada. This is called "Ura-Gion".
Then, on July 26, at a given signal of fireworks, the God starts going down the Inada River in a boat. It starts from under Inada Bridge, and goes on to the Ara River, which is now called the Seki River, and then goes into Naoetsu. This is also called "Omote-Gion".

The children in Inada area make their own portable shrines and lanterns and go around the community. Not only the children but also parents look forward to this very old festival.