Month: January 2025

With Yanai City as both start and goal, this cycling event features a famous Seto-Uchi route, passing through the island of Suo-Oshima in the Seto Inland Sea and crossing the Murotsu Peninsula. The ride is not a timed race; instead, participants enjoy the beauty of the scattered islands of the Seto Inland Sea and the stunning views of mountain foothills while cycling within a time limit. The course offers plenty of variety to ensure participants will never get bored, including the scenic and leisurely coastline as well as more challenging mountain roads, and the hospitality provided by the aid stations is another appealing point.

At this lively festival, portable shrines to a male deity and a female deity are paraded around the town swaying wildly from left to right, and plunged vigorously into the sea from the beach in the evening, when the tide is at full height. The festival is a prayer for abundant fishing hauls, and is said to be one of Western Japan’s strangest festivals. (*The festival may not be held some years. Cancelled in 2024.)

Held every year on the Saturday that precedes September 1, this is the last Bon-Odori (Obon dance) event held in the Yanai region, and is sometimes known as “the final Yukata-wearing event of the year”. With a history of almost 200 years, this dance has long been held on the 210th day after “Risshun” (the beginning of spring), which corresponds to September 1. Since this period is typhoon season, the dance is dedicated to prayers to the god of wind to ward off damage from typhoons.

Hassaku Drifting Boats is an event held at the Yanai River to pray for abundant crop harvest and the healthy growth of female children. School-age girls dressed in colorful yukata robes place their wishes onto “Tanomobune” (“Wish Boats”), which are released to drift on the Yanai River, a scene that is popular with photography enthusiasts.

Held every year on August 13, this is one of summer’s biggest events, based on the motif of Yanai’s folkcraft “kingyo chochin” (goldfish-shaped lanterns). People who return to Yanai for the Obon holiday are welcomed with their hometown’s folkcraft. The festival venue is decorated with goldfish lanterns, around 2,500 of which are illuminated. The gentle light that emanates from the goldfish lanterns creates a dreamlike ambience.
The major highlight is the “Kingyo Nebuta” festival float, which parades majestically, and sometimes boisterously, around the venue. The “Kingyo Chochin Odori” dance, performed by the Ryusenkai group, is also a must-see. Held in the area from JR Yanai Station to Shirakabe historic district (Yanai-Chuo to Yanai-Tsu).

In the Shirakabe historic district, the eaves of houses and shops are decorated with bamboo hung with strips of paper with wishes written on them by local children and visiting tourists.

Held at the flagship store of Kashinoki confectionary and Yamaguchi Flower Land.
This is a joint exhibition of Kashinoki’s hydrangea garden, which boasts 20,000 hydrangeas of 150 varieties, and the flowers of Yamaguchi Flower Land, with its stylish gardens of flowers and greenery surrounded by history and nature.
During the festival period, a free shuttle bus between Yamaguchi Flower Land and the Kashinoki store will be in operation.

Held in the parking lot in front of Yanai City Obatake Sogo Center. Includes many events such as on-stage performances, throwing mochi rice cakes, and a fun raffle!

This is an annual festival dedicated to the deified scholar Sugawara no Michizane. The main festival is held on the Sunday that precedes April 25, the anniversary of Michizane’s death, and the pre-festival eve is celebrated the night before.
This festival has been held continuously since 1873, excluding a few temporary pauses during war or natural disasters. While many events take place on the main day, such as a ceremonial Kendo tournament, the major highlight is Daimyo Gyoretsu (feudal lord’s procession) that parades through the city, modeled on Sankin-Kotai (feudal lord’s journey to and from the capital) of the Edo period. The atmosphere in the Shirakabe historic district feels like slipping back to the days of Edo. The procession takes place from Yanai Tenmangu Shrine to Shirakabe-dori street and the JR Yanai Station area.
The 500m-long parade of 200 people marching in time to the beat of iron rods feels like a historical painted scroll brought to life.

This is a festival dedicated to the deified scholar Sugawara no Michizane, held on the first Sunday of April every year in the Ikachi district.
After Shinto rites are performed, a portable shrine is pulled from the main shrine to the Otabisho (temporary dwelling).
The procession is led by a saddled horse ridden by a child, and the members of the shrine community bring offerings such as flags, joinery, and arrow quivers.
A highlight of the festival is the ox-drawn palanquin, evoking the Heian period (8th to 12th centuries). The ox, which is donated to the festival, is decorated with beautiful ornaments, and pulls the wickerwork palanquin in the procession.
This is a rare festival where an ox plays a major role, and is often called the “Ushi-Tenjin” (Ox Tenjin). It is held by Himuro Kameyama Shrine.