Yamasaki Hachimangu Autumn Grand Festival (Motoyama Shinji)

About

Yamasaki Hachimangu Shrine in Shin-Nanyo, Shunan, dedicates the Motoyama Shinji, an intangible folk cultural property designated by Yamaguchi Prefecture, at its autumn grand festival. The rite is said to have begun in 1702, when Mori Mototsugu, the third lord of the Tokuyama domain, offered it after a disaster to pray for rich harvests and good health. The motoyama float is put together without a single nail, bound with about 450 kg of vines, and then sent down a steep slope in the grounds; the way it leans foretells the year's harvest. The tussle for the sacred paper wands on the float's pine is a sight to see. The first day is the eve festival. On the final day, children's mikoshi and the kanko procession come first, followed at 19:00 by the divine procession, the hauling of the motoyama and the Motoyama rite. Food stalls line the approach.

Sources

• OfficialYamasaki Hachimangu Shrine yamasakihatiman.com
• OfficialYamaguchi Prefectural Tourism Federation (Oidemase Yamaguchi) yamaguchi-tourism.jp
• Reference本山神事について（山﨑八幡宮） yamasakihatiman.com
• Reference秋季例大祭並びに本山神事について（山﨑八幡宮） yamasakihatiman.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.

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