Kagamigaike Funatori Ritual (Innyaku Shrine Spring Festival)

About

The spring festival of Innyaku Shrine in the Kagami district of Yatsushiro centers on a rite designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the city. Once the sacred procession leaves the shrine and reaches Kagamigaike pond, a drumbeat sends about 50 young men in loincloths diving in to catch crucian carp and other carp by hand and to fling mud at the crowd. Getting hit is said to bring a year of good health, so wear clothes you do not mind getting dirty. Legend says that in the time of Emperor Chuai, Ishikawa no Sukune stopped here while subduing Kyushu, and when bad weather left the villagers with no seafood for him, young men jumped into the pond and caught carp barehanded as an offering. The catch is offered at Innyaku Shrine, where Ishikawa no Sukune is enshrined; gagaku court musicians join the procession, and local performing arts are staged in the grounds.

Sources

• OfficialYatsushiro City www.city.yatsushiro.lg.jp
• Reference「大物」捕まえ歓声 八代市鏡町でフナ取り神事（熊本日日新聞） kumanichi.com

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.

Other events this month

• Ushibuka Haiya Festival