Itoigawa Fighting Festival

Fighting Mikoshi

Officially known as the “Amatsu Shrine Spring Grand Festival”, this festival can be seen every year on the 10th and 11th of April at Amatsu Shrine, which is a short walk from Itoigawa Station. With approximately 500 years of history, the festival is held to pray for a bountiful harvest and good catch of fish in the year ahead, through mikoshi (portable Shinto shrine carried through the streets during festivals) fighting and bugaku (court dance and music).

The festival occurs on the 10th of April where young men representing the Oshiage and Teramachi regions carry two 600 kilogram mikoshi, where the teams circle the grounds of Amatsu Shrine, colliding and wrestling around it about 10 times. This is why the festival is largely known as “the Itoigawa Fighting Festival” (糸魚川けんか祭り). Lastly, when the groups return to their respective spots, a victor will be determined by the Gods. 

After roughly an hour of fighting, the shrines are brought before the priest who is said to consult with the local gods to determine the winning team.

It is said that the two shrines represent male and female gods, and so the fighting of the shrines is not really fighting, but moreso a display of fertility which blesses the participants with large, prosperous families. It is also said that the winning district predicts the season ahead: if Oshiage wins, it will be a good catch of fish, if Teramachi wins it will be a bountiful harvest.

Bugaku Court Dances

As the dust settles and the crowds calm, the attention moves to the large stage in the middle of the shrine grounds. On this stage, local children and adults perform 10 ancient bugaku dances. Bugaku are special, elegant dances which were traditionally held at events hosted by the Imperial Court or at important temples and shrines. The unique bugaku dances performed during the Amatsu Shrine Spring Grand Festival have been handed down over the centuries by local families and today are recognized as a Nationally Important Cultural Folk Property. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the powerful elegance of this ancient tradition!