祭概要

華麗に装った馬たちが、踊りを奉納！南九州に春の訪れを告げる伝統の祭り
Gorgeously decorated horses dedicate dances! A traditional festival that welcomes spring to southern Kyushu

背中に色とりどりの飾り、首には鈴を付けた20数頭の「鈴かけ馬」が、太鼓や三味線などの囃子に合わせて踊り歩く全国でも珍しい祭りです。総勢約2,000名もの踊り連を引き連れながら、馬がシャンシャンと鈴を鳴らして踊る様はとても華やか。参加する馬は1カ月以上も前から踊りの練習を行うため、祭りが終わった後もしばらくの間は足踏みの癖が残ると言われます。約470年もの歴史を誇り、毎年10万人以上もの人出で賑わう鹿兒島神宮の伝統行事です。
馬の後ろにはそれぞれ数十～百名以上の踊り連が続き、参道を練り歩きながら五穀豊穣・家内安全・畜産奨励・厄払い・商売繁盛を祈願。

A rare festival where twenty-some horses with colorful ornaments on their backs and bells on their necks dance to music played with taiko drums and shamisens. The sight of the horses dancing as they jingle their bells and tow the dance troupes consisting of about 2,000 members is unique. It is said that the horses have a habit of stepping their hooves up and down for a while after the festival because they had been practicing for over a month until then. A traditional Kagoshima Jingu Shrine ceremony that boasts a history of about 470 years and a turnout of over 100,000 people every year.

Each horse has tens or even hundreds of dance troupes following it as they pray for good harvests, family safety, prosperity in livestock farming, the driving away of evil spirits, and prosperity in business along the approach.

毎年旧暦1/18を過ぎた次の日曜日に開催される。
The Sunday following January 18 on the old calendar

祭基本情報