Hata-age Flag-Raising Rite at Ayabe Hachiman Shrine

About

Every July 15, a hemp flag is hoisted onto the sacred tree at Ayabe Hachiman Shrine in Miyaki. From then until it is lowered in an autumn rite, people check daily how the flag streams and wraps itself, reading in it signs of coming storms and the coming harvest, a practice sometimes called Japan's oldest weather station. The shrine is said to date from 1205, when a spirit was brought from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu in Kamakura, and two wind deities of Mount Kujusenbu were later enshrined alongside. On rite days, local children carry a portable shrine along the approach. The raising and lowering rites are an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Saga Prefecture and are also listed nationally as intangible folk cultural properties to be documented. Admission is free; walk about 11 minutes from the Kosoku Nakabaru bus stop.

Sources

• OfficialSaga Prefecture Tourism Federation (Asobo Saga) www.asobo-saga.jp
• OfficialMiyaki Tourism Association (Miyaki Sanpo) www.miyakikankou.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.

Other events this month

• Nagasaki Kaido Kanzaki Post Town Festival
• Hamasaki Gion Festival