As we all know, Japan is a country that pays great attention to the sense of formality. When it comes to the Kunisaki, we have to mention its festivals.

 

   You maybe already know that Kunisaki peninsula consists of five autonomous bodies named Bungo Takada, Kitsuki, Hayamigun, Hijimati and Kunisaki. And different cities have different festivals every year.

   For example, both Kunisaki city and Bungo Takada city have the 修正鬼会（Syujuonie）fesitival which held in the temple every the first lunar month of the year. And this festival was been designated as an important intangible cultural property in 1997. It is said that it is a New Year ceremony of a temple praying for grain richness and an Ogre festival, which is a miyanaka event that pursues evil spirits on the night of New Year's Eve, changed fire festival. In one thesis, Ninba Bodhisattva, the opening base for Rokugo Mitsuyama, was founded by collecting the priests of the 28th temple of Rokugo Manchuria in the Year of Years (717 - 724) and conferring the "Kikai Kaoru Vol.6" and it is believed to have a history of over 1,200 years.

 

Yoshihirogaku

   Also, the festival named 吉弘楽（Yoshihirogaku）in Kunisaki city. Yoshihirogaku is a drum dance transmitted to the Musashi area in Koto, Oita prefecture. Designated as an important intangible folk cultural property on December 20, 1996. It is a dance performed for Yasuhei Tenchi, 5 grain fulfillment, insect prayer in the premises of the Yahata Shrine in the Musashi Town Yoshihiro area. Originally held on June 13th on the lunar calendar every year, in recent years it is to be held on the 4th Sunday of July every year. 楽打ち（Rakuuti）is played twice from 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

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Tashibunosyou  

   The Kunisaki Peninsula shaped like a lying bowl, the valley line runs in all directions around Boko Mountain, and in the ancient times, six villages called Rokugo are formed along this valley line, of which western side of the peninsula, there is the 田染荘（Tashibunosyou ）. So today I would like to introduce you to this festival in Kunisaki peninsula has a main town it is Bungo Takada . the Bungo Takada city called 田染荘御田植祭（Tashibunosyou Otauesai）.It is a symbolic place of the world agricultural heritage "Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Circulation of the Kunugi forest and Uza connected by the Kunugi forest and Uskei", which was approved in May of 2010. And is a national important culture "National Treasures of the landscape" also certified as a landscape.

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   Before the beginning, there will be a special ceremony and the important people of the village will all attend. As you can see in the picture, I could feel that it is a very serious ceremony. People are praying that the gods will make sure them a bumper harvest for the next year.

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   After the praying, as you can see the picture on the left, people are dressed up like farmers and the black cattle is also the costume that a man can hide in it. The farmers will lead the cattle to go down to the paddy field for a walk, it is kind of like a show time of planting.

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   Then it is our turn to do the rice planting! Though I haven't participated in the planting, I could feel it was quite tired but worth it. Because we, who live in the city, have little chance to experience the rice planting and to know the hard work of farmers. So I think this activity is very meaningful for us.

 

Other Festivals

   In fact, the festivals in the peninsula are far more than these , and it can even be said that there are different festivals every month. Taking part in these festivals can not only have the chance to talk to the native people but also a precious opportunity to experience the local culture. You won't be regret! Just come!