Festivals Calendar

Walk around all three Dōzen Islands! The annual 2-day walk takes place on Nakanoshma Isand, Chiburijima Island, and Nishinoshima Island.

After the Miko-mai (Shrine maiden dance), Dōzen Kagura Shinto Dances take place throughout the night.

On the morning of the festival, ceremonies and sumo wrestling are performed. In the evening, the mikoshi, or portable shrine, is brought out and carried to the bay where a holy boat is waiting. When the shrine is placed aboard the boat, it travels around the bay for around one hour. During this time Kagura Shinto Dances are performed upon the boat. Afterwards, the mikoshi is placed in a temporary shrine and brought back to Yurahime Shrine the following day.

Shaara-bune are boats made in order to send off the ancestral spirits that visit during the Obon period. The boats are made with bamboo, branches, and straw. Hundreds of pieces of paper with Buddhist scriptures written on them decorate the sails of the boats.

During the festival, Shuhaira, a type of Dengaku (Shinto dances accompanied by music) as well as Sumo dances and a Lion dance, are performed. Dengaku was commenced to appease the various spirits of the rice fields.
Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

During this festival, dances including Shuhaira and Kagura take place. In particular the Niwa-no-mai dance is said to date back 800 years.
Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.