祭概要

巨大な「亀蛇」など40もの出し物が登場！約1.5kmにわたる絢爛豪華な神幸行列

北極星と北斗七星を神格化した妙見神を祀る八代神社の秋の例祭です。11月22日午後に八代神社から塩屋八幡宮へと神輿が「お下り」、翌23日午前には逆ルートを「お上り」する神幸行列が行われ、時代装束をまとった老若男女や高さ4〜5ｍの笠鉾、想像上の生き物「亀蛇（きだ）」（通称ガメ）など40の出し物が市内を練り歩きます。午後は砥崎河原（とさきのかわら）で演舞を実施。勢いよく回転したり客席に乗り上げるガメや、水しぶきをあげて疾走する飾馬に喝采が沸き起こります。

「お上り」の行列は、獅子を先頭に約1.5km続きます。旧城下町から出される9基の笠鉾は、いずれも18〜19世紀の作と言われています。
写真提供：八代妙見祭保存振興会



See 40 attractions including a huge
turtle snake! An impressive Shinko procession that is roughly 1.5 kilometers long.

An annual autumn celebration deifying the North Star and the Big Dipper at Yatsushiro Shrine, which enshrines the Myoken deity. 40 attractions can be seen parading through the streets, including a Shinko procession where portable shrines are “carried down” from Yatsushiro Shrine to Shioya Hachiman Shrine in the afternoon on November 22 and “carried up” the opposite route the following morning on the 23rd, men and women of all ages dressed in period costumes, flowery parasols up to four or five meters in height, and the mythical “turtle snake” beast (known as “Game”). Dances are performed at Tosaki no Kawara in the afternoon. Sights such as Game vigorously rotating and climbing on the seats of the audience as well as the decorated horses running while splashing water trigger applause from the crowd.
The event where the portable shrines are “carried up” is headed by a lion and is roughly 1.5 kilometers long. The 9 flowery parasols coming from the former castle town are said to have been made between the 18th and 19th centuries.Photo courtesy of: Yatsushiro Myoken Festival Preservation and Promotion Association
Around Yatsushiro Shrine (Myoken Shrine)

祭基本情報