Yahiko 's spring festival ' Yukake Festival' was held on Saturday 11 April 2015.

The Yukake Matsuri is an event in which the shrine is visited by a shrine of hot spring water, which is then passed around the town with a traditional dance performance by a kodori (a woodcarver) and a kogei (a traditional Japanese entertainer). The festival is organised by the Tourist Association to pray for good luck, good health and academic success, as well as the promotion of Yahiko tourism.

Before the festival took place, I went to pay a visit to the little-known (perhaps even unknown to the locals) Yu Shrine, which is located deep in the forest of Yahiko Park and is dedicated to the deity of the 'hot water' of the Yukake Festival.

Found people associated with the shrine at 'Gourd Square'!

You are now going to carry the divine hot water!

Passing through the torii gate at the end of the gourd square, the approach to the weeping cherry trees.

It wasn't quite at its best yet, but...

Keep going along the approach road with red flags like this.

Then a masonry retaining wall appears in the middle of the road.

Oh my! There was a water distribution pond in Yahiko Park!

It was used until 1999, it seems!

The facility is now located above Yahiko Primary School (you can see the white square building).

I climbed the stairs and looked in, but it was just bushes.

While we were taking photos, the festival workers who were taking a break came up the mountain.

Further on, there is a well watering canister.

It was closed when I was there before, but today it is open, perhaps because of the festival!

It takes a lot of courage to hand-water here...

At the end of the approach to the shrine, which is lined with torii gates, is the Yu Shrine!

It takes about 20 minutes to get here on foot from the famous Maple Valley area.

You may walk more than you think. It's good exercise.

I did not go there to aim, but I was able to see the ritual just before the divine hot water was carried out!

Representatives of the Tourist Association and the Ujiko Youth Association went up to the shrine to begin the purification process.

It seems that the purified divine hot water is placed in a tub and carried down the mountain to "Yahiko Station", the starting point of the Yukake Festival.

This year, a 'towing cart' carrying the divine hot water was displayed in front of Yahiko Station a few days before the festival.

The hot water festival finally begins!

On the day of the Yukake Festival, there are also events taking place at the same time at Yahor and Sangu Street. While I was watching the stage event, the Yukake Matsuri procession left Yahiko Station!

We caught up with them where they were resting in front of the 'Ya Hall' and could see them from there.

From the front of the park, we went on and on and came to the shrine street leading to the Ichino Torii (first torii).

I used to do 'kiyari' here.

Click here to watch the video.

The Ujiko Youth Association leads the way, but it may be dangerous to go too fast, so the people pulling from behind (the rear rope) have to hold their ground!

As the 'First Torii' approached, the sacred hot water was vigorously sprinkled.

At one point, they entered the grounds of Yahiko Shrine.

The Yahikoyama Taiko drummers beat their drums to welcome you at the torii gate.

The barrels were divided from the towing cart into three barrels in the square around the handbasin in the precincts of the temple.

Then, after each barrel, they did the kiyari and went towards the worship hall.

The third barrel was moving the hardest.

They were also spinning vigorously in front of the worship hall.

All three barrels were safely laid out in front of the worship hall and the final ritual of the Yuukake Festival began.

When all rituals are completed without delay, divine hot water is distributed to those who wish to receive it.

They were told that it could not be drunk but could be used to cleanse the house and was divided into plastic bottles.

Not many locals have seen the Yukake Festival all the way through, but it is a springtime tradition in Yahiko.

If you have the chance, you can not only watch but also participate, so please come and experience it from next year onwards (*^_^*).