660年以上も続く、垂井町伝統行事「垂井曳やままつり」660 Years of History!: Tarui Hikiyama Festival, Gifu-ken, Japan
Tarui, Gifu Prefecture We are in Tarui Town in Gifu Prefecture, enjoying the view of 300 carp steamers suspended above the river.(Aikawa). However, the reason for our visit to Tarui today is to see the annual Tarui Hikiyama Festival, which has a history stretching back more than 660 years. The festival is said to have begun in 1353, during the Nanboku-chō period, when villagers built and pulled three floats to comfort Emperor Go-Kōgon, the Emperor of the Northern Court, who fled to Tarui in Minō Province. The three floats, Hanrinkaku in Nishimachi (the one that we see here); Hououzan in Higashimachi; and Shiunkaku in Nakamachi, are all elaborately crafted and adorned with lacquer, lacquerware, and metal carvings by master craftsmen. These floats have been designated as Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Gifu Prefecture. Each float is fitted with one of the “Three Sacred Treasures”: a golden dragon and a mirror, a fire-breathing curved ball, and a Kusanagi sword, which are attached to the top of the roof. This float is called Hououzan. In a few minutes, elementary school children will perform children’s kabuki on its stage. The tradition of children’s kabuki on the three floats is said to have begun during the An’ei period (1772-1780). The children take about two weeks off school to practice, and they perform on stage more than 10 times over the three days of the festival. This kabuki story is called “Ume no Yoshibe”. It tells the story of Umegae, a courtesan who desperately needs money. This is “Hanrinkaku”, the third float in the festival. The kabuki play being performed here is called “Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba”. It is thought to be loosely based on a story about a killing spree in the late 18th century. Tarui is a historical significant town, as a former post town along the Nakasendō Way, which linked Kyoto with Edō (Tokyo) during the Edo period. The town is also associated with Takenaka Shigeharu (Takenaka Hanbei), a famous samurai during the Sengoku (“Warring States”) period of the 16th century.
2025年5月2日〜４日、岐阜県垂井町で「垂井曳やままつり 子供歌舞伎」が開催されました。岐阜県重要有形民俗文化財、垂井町重要無形文化財の祭です。絢爛豪華なやまの舞台では子供歌舞伎が小学生によって演じられます。
This video shows scenes from the Tarui Hikiyama Festival, which has been held for over 660 years in Tarui Town, Gifu prefecture. The festival is said to have begun in 1353, when villagers built and pulled three floats to comfort Emperor Go-Kogon, the emperor of the Northern Court, who fled to Tarui. The festival features three elaborately crafted festival; floats, which are pulled through the town. Each float has a small stage, on which young children perform kabuki plays.
#japaneseculture #japanesefestival #曳山#祭り