Free children's mikoshi given away — Beitou Hot Spring Festival to feature elementary school students carrying mikoshi in street parade

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, reported and compiled by Li Xinyi

 

Known for its Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama City in Japan, following the warm reception of last year’s mikoshi collision event in Taiwan, will once again cross the sea this year to participate in the “2012 Taipei Hot Spring Festival” to be held around Xinbeitou MRT Station on October 19, and will present two children’s mikoshi handcrafted at a cost of 4 million Japanese yen (approximately 1.51 million Taiwanese dollars). These upcoming children’s mikoshi, which will make their debut, are also the first ever gifted by Matsuyama City to a sister city in the past 100 years. On October 20 and 21, local elementary school students from Beitou will carry the children’s mikoshi in a street parade.

Since the mikoshi are entirely handcrafted, it takes at least six months to create one, and sometimes up to a year. The head of “Kawano Woodworking,” the company responsible for making the mikoshi, stated that the production schedule this time was extremely tight. In order to present the mikoshi to Taipei City in October this year, they specially set aside their treasured mikoshi display piece — their flagship exhibit — as the prototype for this mikoshi. The subsequent detailed decoration work also took nearly four months. The entire process involved a team of over 20 people, and the person in charge will also come to Taiwan to explain the mikoshi-making process.

The children’s mikoshi at the “2012 Taipei Hot Spring Festival” will showcase a heartwarming and adorable street parade, different from the energetic adult mikoshi collisions. The international exchange performance will be carried out by Yifang Elementary School and Yixian Elementary School in Beitou. On October 20 and 21, starting at 1 p.m., the “Dogo Onsen Children’s Mikoshi” street parade will officially begin. The adorable and eye-catching mikoshi procession will start from Guangming Road in front of Beitou Shuimei Hot Spring Hotel, proceed along Beitou Park, and enter the south side road next to Xinbeitou MRT Station. The elementary school students carrying the mikoshi will wear special commemorative happi coats designed by Matsuyama City, which are representative attire worn during Japanese festivals and are derived from kimono designs.

 

The two children’s mikoshi cost a total of approximately 4 million Japanese yen. Each mikoshi is about 80–90 cm tall (over 100–120 cm when including the phoenix on the roof), and about 55–60 cm in length and width, weighing approximately 65–85 kg. Additionally, a handle will be attached, about 3–4 meters long. The mikoshi are entirely handcrafted from solid wood (red pine, paulownia, cypress, and plywood). After their unveiling at the “2012 Taipei Hot Spring Festival” in Xinbeitou, the two children’s mikoshi will go on a tour around various locations in Taipei City for display.

 

● Read more: For the first time in 100 years, a sacred Japanese mikoshi comes to Taiwan — mikoshi collisions and soul-stirring festivities rock the Beitou Hot Spring Festival

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