murmurShimotsuki Kagura of Mt. Horowa
Yokote City · Satomiya sanctuary of Hōshiwake Shrine, Omori, Yokote
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Yokote City · Last checked: Oct 10, 2026
Dates
Dates not confirmed
- 2026
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually early November
- How the date is set
- Every year, November 7 – November 8 Performed through the night, from 19:00 on the 7th to around 08:00 on the 8th
- Venue
- Satomiya sanctuary of Hōshiwake Shrine, Omori, Yokote
- City
- Yokote City, Akita
About
Handed down at the ancient Hōshiwake Shrine on Mt. Horowa, this all-night Shinto ritual gives thanks for the year's harvest and prays for good crops in the year ahead. It is said to have a history of more than 1,200 years and belongs to the yutate (boiling-water) kagura tradition. Priests from nearby shrines gather at the sanctuary and perform a cycle of 33 sacred pieces from 7 p.m. on November 7 until about 8 a.m. on November 8. In the dance of the miko, the female performer delivers an oracle in the middle of the dance – a glimpse of the shrine maiden's original role. Note that it takes place in the Satomiya sanctuary, not the kagura hall. Anyone may watch, though it is customary to bring a small monetary offering. It is a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property; there is no public transport, so come by car or taxi.
Sources
- OfficialYokote City www.city.yokote.lg.jp
Last checked: Oct 10, 2026. Event information is based on official announcements, but changes may not always be reflected here. Please check each official website for accurate details.
On the day, see what locals are murmuring on the murmur map
murmur is an app that shows short, anonymous posts on a map, right where they were written. On festival day, open the map around the venue and see what people nearby are saying.