Across Japan, there are “Obon” festivals in summer, which originated as memorial services, and Yokote’s Okuribon Festival is one of them. Yokote’s Okuribon Festival has been held every August 15 and 16 for more than 300 years to mourn and interact with the deceased. It started in Edo period (1603 - 1867) by citizens in Yanagimachi region in Yokote city. During that time, this country experienced great famines three times. The price of rice rose strongly, and many hundreds of thousands of people passed away. To mourn the souls lost in the famines, people in Yanagimachi threw straw boats into Yokote river. Afterward, other regions in Yokote city also started to create their own boats, and that tradition has been continued until today as ”Yakatabune Kuridashi”. Yakatabunes (Japanese-style pleasure boat with a roof) are placed with children's small boats during the event called "Nemurinagashi" (children carry the boats to the river). It is said that Nemurinagashi started to dispel (Nagashi) sleepiness (Nemuri) due to the hot weather in the summer, and otherwise, people are likely to be attacked by evil spirits. After that, a Buddhist priest has a ritual to send back the soul to the deceased's world ("Mitama Okuri"). Although the large boats are not sent down the river nowadays, the lights from the floating lanterns remind us of the practices in Edo period.
Before starting the festival, local children carry straw boats decorated with candles to Yokote river (this event is called “Nemuri Nagashi”). On the riverbank, people play musical instruments including the Japanese taiko drums. They send out floating lanterns or boats to the river, which are smaller than "Yakatabune" which adults use on 16th and children put their hopes or prayer on.
On August 15th, people gather for "Bon odori" (Japanese traditional dances for Bon season, remembering and honoring their ancestors). On 16th, "Yakatabune Kuridashi" is held. "Yakatabune" is a type of straw-clad boat and weighs around 800 kilograms. People set the boats on the river and start a ceremony for ancestral spirits.
Residents or owners of stores in various areas in Yokote City prepare each of "Yakatabune" for this festival. While they reuse frames of boats used previously, it is necessary that they should build new boats' bodies with straw and their attachments every year, which takes 1 month at a maximum. Residents in every areas in Yokote City make a group and build "Yakatabune", and need to carry it from their residential areas to Yokote river by their own.
Visitors can see boats with decoration on roads, as well as "Bon odori" on August 15th. There is a send-off ceremony the following day, 16th, when the boats are pulled down to the river. After this ceremony, you will enjoy the highlight of this festival, "Butsuzuke". The boats are brought back to the bridge and set in pairs. Representatives of each area get on the boats, and the boats ram against each other. All people get excited and shout, while the boats are bumping. Fireworks in the sky also bring more excitement to this.
How the festival looks
Introduction of the festival by the foreign reporter
Current activities
Okuribon festival is held during the same period every year.
Date: August 15th to 16th
Time: 6 pm -10 pm
Place: Yuzawa area (Janosaki)
How to get there
Janosaki Bridge
Take an Ou line from Akita station to Yuzawa station (1 hr 38 mins). Walk 17 mins.