murmurIminomiya Shrine Archery Rite (Hosha-sai)
Shimonoseki City · Iminomiya Shrine (Chofu, Shimonoseki)
Dates and details can change. Always check the official website before you go.
Iminomiya Shrine · Last checked: Oct 11, 2026
Dates
Dates confirmed with official sources
- 2026
- Mon, Jan 12, 2026 （Ended） Rite from 9:00; archery tournament from 10:00Confirmed from the official annual schedule and Iminomiya Shrine’s notice for that year
- 2027
- Dates have not been announced yet. Please check the official website.
- Usual timing
- Usually mid January
- How the date is set
- The 2nd Monday of January Held every year on Coming of Age Day
- Venue
- Iminomiya Shrine (Chofu, Shimonoseki)
- City
- Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi
About
On Coming of Age Day every year, Iminomiya Shrine in Chofu, Shimonoseki, holds this New Year archery rite. It draws on the legend of Emperor Chuai bringing down Jinrin, a general from Silla, with an arrow, and it aims to sweep away evil from every direction and wish for a safe year. The chief priest shoots first, using a bow and arrows he has made himself from sakaki wood, aiming at targets that stand for heaven, earth and all directions. Experienced archers dressed as the legendary marksmen Yumitaro and Yumijiro then take their turns. Afterwards a dedicatory archery tournament fills the grounds with competitors from inside and outside the prefecture.
Sources
- OfficialIminomiya Shrine iminomiya-jinjya.com
- OfficialYamaguchi Prefectural Tourism Federation (Oidemase Yamaguchi) yamaguchi-tourism.jp
- Date checkIminomiya Shrine iminomiya-jinjya.com
Last checked: Oct 11, 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
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.