2025年豊浜鯛まつり (愛知県南知多町)・Giant Fish at the Toyohama Sea Bream Festival, Aichi, Japan

2025年豊浜鯛まつり (愛知県南知多町)・Giant Fish at the Toyohama Sea Bream Festival, Aichi, Japan

Toyohama, Aichi Prefecture Today we have come to the port of Toyohama in Aichi Prefecture to watch an unusual festival that takes place over two days on the final weekend of July every year. The name of the festival is “Toyohama Tai Matsuri” ; in English, Toyohama Sea Bream Festival, and today is the second and final day. On Sunday afternoon, three huge models of red sea bream are paraded through the streets close to the port of Toyohama by teams representing different local neighbourhoods. The number of teams (and hence the number of fish) has decreased from five, and this year there was no black-coloured sea bream, as had been the case in previous years. The Sea Bream Festival is held to pray to the gods for bountiful catches of fish and safety at sea. The men from the three teams have left their sea bream outside, and gathered to sing this song inside the fish market. After carrying their heavy sea bream around the port area, the teams are now taking a break. The activities resume around 2 pm Each sea bream weighs approximately one ton, and is made from bamboo and wood, wrapped in white cotton. In the climax of today’s event. the three huge sea bream — as well as a smaller-scale model (to be carried by a group of children) — are lined up side by side opposite a gate, which has been built to resemble the gate of a Shinto shrine (torii). In the Shinto religion, the torii represents the boundary between the mundane world to the sacred realm of the ‘kami’ (gods/deities). Carrying their fish, the men in the three teams will charge towards the gate. In previous years, the men would push their way through the gate. However, in the interests of safety, the men will stop just short and not attempt to enter. First, a children’s group carry their (much smaller) sea bream in a few clockwise circuits of the perimeter of the square. Now it is the turn of the adults to carry their fish in a clockwise circuit before charging towards the gate. The purpose of charging through the gate is to be closer to the gods. In essence, it represents an offering to the gods.

愛知県豊浜(知多郡南知多町)で毎年7月下旬に行われる「豊浜鯛まつり」の様子。豊漁と海上安全を神に祈願する祭りです。

Scenes from the Toyohama Tai Matsuri (Sea Bream Festival), held every year in late July in Toyohama, Aichi Prefecture. It is a festival to pray for a good catch and safety at sea.

#japaneseculture #祭り#japanesefestival