令和7年・花の窟神社秋季大祭・三重県熊野市 | UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hananoiwa Shrine
Kumano, Mie Prefecture Today, we are in the city of Kumano in the south of Mie Prefecture. While Kumano itself has a population of just under 15,000 (as of January 2025), the city shares its name with the larger, historically significant “Kumano region”, which straddles the border between Mie and Wakayama Prefectures. We’ve just entered Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine, which is dedicated to the Shinto “kami” (deities), Izanami-no-Mikoto and Kagutsuchi-no-Mikoto. Izanami is the Shinto “creator deity”, as well as the “mother goddess”; while Kagutsuchi is the deity of fire. Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine is the site of the Flower Cavern (Hana-no-Iwaya), which is considered to be the grave of Izanami. In the Shinto religion, the cave is considered to be the entrance to the underworld, where the creator deity, Izanagi-no-Mikoto, tried to find Izanami after she died while giving birth to Kagutsuchi. A huge rock is considered to represent the place where Izanagi sealed the entrance to the cave. The defining feature of Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine is the 45-m. high, 80-meter wide rock, which overlooks Shichiri Mihama Beach. We have come here today (on October 2, 2025) to observe the shrine’s Autumn Festival, the highlight of which is the “Otsunakake” Shinto ritual, an event which is held twice a year. Following dance and sumo ritual performances dedicated to the gods, a fresh rope will be lowered from the top of this rock by a group of men dressed in white garments. The existing rope is, however, left in place, and is not replaced. First of all, a purification ritual takes place. The plant that priest is holding is known as a “sakaki” (cleyera japonica) As a sacred plant in the Shinto religion, the “sakaki” is shaken over people, objects and spaces to purify them Salt is also customarily used for purification purposes. The shaking of a sakaki and the sprinkling of salt and are standard features of Shinto purification rituals. These white-clad men are about to climb to the top of the huge rock which towers above the shrine. They will lower the rope, which will pulled onto Mihama Shichiri Beach by the people attending the festival (including us!). The next ritual to be dedicated to the Shinto deities is “Shiko no hōnō”, which is performed by two sumo wrestlers. The “Shiko” is an exercise ritual used by sumo wrestlers to enhance their balance and strength. The next offering to the deities is known as “Hōnō no Mai”, literally “Dedication Dance”. This powerful dance performance is given by Kento Mori, with superb musical accompaniment from Yōsuke Oda (on shakuhachi, small drum and Taiko drum). Both of these men are highly accomplished artists with international reputations, performing frequently at events around the world. The rope is now being lowered into the shrine. The 170 m. rope is now being pulled onto Shichiri Mihama Beach. At 22 km. long, Shichiri Mihama Beach. is the longest beach in Japan. The rope, which extends for 170 metres, is hung between a sacred pine tree and the huge rock. Now that the rope-pulling ritual has been completed, most people will head back into the shrine complex. The next ritual involves the offering of various kinds of food to the deities. Next, two shrine maidens (known as”Miko”) perform a “Miko Dance”. A second “Miko Dance” is now being performed by three other shrine maidens. If you would like to attend this festival at Hana-no-Iwaya Shrine in Kumano, your next opportunity will be on February 2, 2026.
令和7年10月2日・この動画は、高さ45メートルの巨岩をご神体とする三重県熊野市の花の岩神社の秋祭りの様子です。祭りのクライマックスは、巨岩の頂上から境内に太い綱がかけられ、参拝者によって太平洋岸の七里御浜まで曳き下ろされる「お綱かけ神事」です。
This video shows scenes from the Autumn festival at Hana-no-Iwa Shrine, an ancient site of natural worship in Kumano, Mie Prefecture, which has a 45m-high giant rock as its sacred object. The climax of the festival is the “Otsunakake Shinto Ritual” in which a thick rope is draped around the shrine grounds from the top of the giant rock, and pulled by attendees down to Shichiri Mihama Beach on the Pacific Coast.
#japaneseculture #祭り #三重県