🎎 Nada no Kenka Matsuri (Nada Fighting Festival)灘のけんか祭り

Matsubara Hachiman Shrine in Shirahama Town, Himeji City, holds its annual autumn festival on October 14 and 15. This highly renowned and unique festival is one of the "Three Great Arakami Yatai" in Japan, participated by seven regions from the southeastern coastal area known as "Old Seven Villages," which are represented by the parishioners of Matsubara Shrine. On the evening of the 14th, beautifully decorated floats set off early from various regions. After parading through the town, they enter the shrine through the gate in a predetermined order. The 15th is the much-anticipated main event. After the team from the region taking turns that year purifies themselves in the sea, the intense collisions of the three portable shrines commence in front of the worship hall and the gate, accompanied by shouts. The scene of the strong collisions is no wonder referred to as the "Raucous Festival." Additionally, there is a portable shrine activity at Otabiyama, about 1 kilometer from the shrine, followed by a ritual ceremony at the mountain's summit. The sight of the portable shrines and floats moving up the steep and difficult slope towards the mountaintop is also worth seeing.

The Matsubara Hachiman Shrine holds its annual autumn festival on October 14 and 15. On the evening of the 14th, flower floats from the old seven villages enter the shrine in order. On the 15th, the main shrine hosts the "Kyo-shinji" event, where three portable shrines collide with each other.