Itoigawa Fighting Festival

Fighting Mikoshi

Officially known as the “Amatsu Shrine Spring Grand Festival” this festival is held 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).

Day one of the festival occurs every year on the 10th of April where young men representing the Oshiage and Teramachi regions carry two 600 kilogram mikoshi and circle the grounds of Amatsu Shrine, colliding and wrestling around it about 10 times. This is why the festival is most commonly 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 mikoshi represent male and female Gods, where the fighting of the mikoshi is a display of fertility, blessing the participants with large, prosperous families. It is also said that the winning district determines the prediction of the season ahead: if Oshiage wins, there will be a good catch of fish, and if Teramachi wins, there will be a bountiful harvest over the next year. 

Bugaku Court Dances

As the dust settles and the crowds begin to 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!

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