Enjoy the Spring Takayama Festival (Sanno Festival), one of Japan's three most beautiful festivals

Spring Takayama Festival (Sanno Festival)

The Spring Takayama Festival (Sanno Festival), which heralds the arrival of spring, is held at the shrine of the local deity of the southern half of the old Takayama castle town.The annual festival of Hie Shrine (Sanno-sama) is held on April 14th and 15th every year.will be held.
Its origins date back to the time of the Kanamori clan, who ruled Hida (1585-1692), and the floats are said to have first appeared around 1718.
At the festival,The 12 gorgeous floats are also known as the "moving Yomeimon Gate."These floats are:UNESCO Intangible Cultural HeritageRegistered in andNational Important Tangible Folk Cultural PropertyIt is also designated as a national treasure. It features exquisite wood carvings, lacquerware, and gold leaf work.The craftsmanship of Hidashines everywhere.

Karakuri Dedication

One of the highlights is the Karakuri Dedication.
In front of the shrine, a three-piece puppet show is held: "Sanbaso," "Shakkyodai," and "Ryujindai." Experienced rope makers skillfully manipulate the ropes, and the sight of the puppets dancing as if they were alive is truly breathtaking.

Imperial Pilgrimage

The festival's central event, the "Gyunko" (pilgrimage), is like looking at a picture scroll from the period.

A procession of several hundred people dressed in traditional costumes, including guards in kamishimo ceremonial attire, lion dancers, and toukeiraku (cockfighting musicians), parades through the town centered around a portable shrine (mikoshi).
The portable shrine departs from Hie Shrine in the afternoon of the 14th, visits the homes of parishioners, and spends the night at a shrine before returning to the shrine the following afternoon on the 15th.
The solemn atmosphere of the procession and the sounds of gagaku and ohayashi music that reverberate throughout the town add color to Takayama in spring.

Pulling the floats

The highlight of the festival is the parade of floats, with 12 floats lined up in designated areas, captivating visitors with their magnificent appearance.
The four floats, Kaguradai, Sanbaso, Ryujindai, and Ishibashidai, gather in the square in front of Takayama Jinya (in front of the Otabisho), while the other eight floats are displayed in various parts of town.
The floats, crafted with meticulous attention to detail, are truly "moving works of art."

Night Festival

On the night of the 14th, a fantastical "night festival" will be held, which is different from the daytime festival.
Each float is lit with around 100 lanterns, and their soft light flickers in the dark night as they slowly make their way around town.
After passing Jundojo, the float pullers return to their respective float storehouses while singing a farewell song called "Takai Yama."
The sight of the light from the lanterns flowing through the pitch black streets is trulyA springtime tradition in Takayamais.

Takayama Festival is a collective term for the spring Sanno Festival and the autumn Hachiman Festival, and is said to have begun in the 16th or 17th century.
This festival has been passed down unchanged for over 400 years and is still celebrated today.The pride of the people of TakayamaIt is a gorgeous seasonal event that heralds the arrival of spring.