祭概要

日本三景・宮島で大きな松明が燃える！新年の無事を祈る火難除けの神事

世界文化遺産にも登録された国宝・嚴島（いつくしま）神社の御笠浜（みかさのはま）で、12月31日の18時から行われる神事です。長さ約3.5mの大松明（おおたいまつ）から片手サイズの小松明まで、約1,000もの松明を持って町民たちが集結。神社から御笠浜へと移された斎火（いみび）から、我先にと松明に火を点けます。燃える大松明を、20～30人がかりで担いで練り歩く様は圧巻。御笠浜はまさに火の海となります。小松明は消火した後、家に持ち帰って神棚にお供えし、1年間の火難除けの護符にします。

御神火を点けた大松明を担ぎ、「たいまつ、ヨイヨイ」の掛け声をかけながら男たちが威勢よく御笠浜を練り歩きます。

Huge torches are lit on Miyajima Island, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan!
A sacred ritual for warding off fire disasters, held in prayers for a safe new year.

A sacred ritual held from 6 p.m. on December 31 at Mikasahama Beach at the national treasure of Itsukushima Shrine, which is also a registered World Cultural Heritage site. Townspeople gather with roughly 1,000 torches ranging in size from roughly 3.5 meters long to those that can be held with one hand. The torches are swiftly lit with the flame that is transferred from the shrine to Mikasahama Beach. The sight where the huge burning torches are each being carried by 20 to 30 participants is overwhelming. Mikasahama Beach then truly becomes a sea of fire. After the small torches are put out, they are taken home, placed on altars, and serve as charms to ward off fire disasters for the year.

Men carry huge torches lit with the sacred fire and walk along Mikasahama Beach in high spirits chanting Let’s go, torches.

Mikasahama Beach (stone gate - entrance of Itsukushima Shrine)

祭基本情報