National cultural heritage celebrated with the public — Takayama Festival floats hit the road in dazzling display on October 9

 

The Takayama Festival, one of Japan’s Three Great Festivals, is a much-anticipated event held biannually in the fall. (Image provided by Moleskine Editorial Department)

Located in Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture, the Takayama Festival consists of the Spring Sanno Festival and the Autumn Hachiman Festival. While the origins of the Takayama Festival remain unclear, it is believed to have been held regularly between 1586 and 1692, during the rule of the Kanamori clan, lords of the Hida Province. The yatai, the festival’s star attractions, were established in their current form—both structurally and performatively—by 1718. These resplendent and elaborately decorated floats have long been funded by Takayama’s wealthy merchant class, known as the “Sanmachi Sō,” and crafted by the region’s master artisans, including carpenters, sculptors, and lacquerware specialists.

The Hachiman Festival in autumn features a total of 11 yatai, distinct from the 12 used in the spring festival and even more ornate. Among them, the renowned Fūjin Yatai (Bagan Doll Float), with its ingeniously complex mechanical doll operated by eight people using 36 ropes, is considered a masterpiece among Takayama’s yatai. The performance of the Bagan Doll is always the climax of the Hachiman Festival. The mechanical dolls include a jolly-looking monk resembling the Laughing Buddha, and two small wooden puppets. The monk appears first, walking out to the extension beam protruding from the float and greeting the spectators. Then, the smaller puppets emerge from a bamboo swing suspended in midair. Surprisingly, the unattached puppets tumble through the air and land perfectly on the monk’s shoulders. In addition to the charming and almost lifelike movements of the grinning monk, which delight the crowd, once the puppet sits on his shoulders, the gleeful monk starts spinning rapidly to the beat of lively bamboo clapper music. Eventually, a colored ball on the swing bursts open, scattering confetti, while a colorful cloth in the monk’s left hand suddenly unfurls—a spectacle that leaves audiences mesmerized and clapping enthusiastically.

 

It is said that the secrets behind the Bagan Doll’s performance are closely guarded, passed down only to a select few masters who perform on the float and are sworn to secrecy for life. In any case, these techniques, originally brought from China, have been researched and preserved by Takayama’s artisans for over 200 years through generations.

The festival’s yatai are usually stored in various yatai preservation halls. On the morning of the festival at 9:00 AM, the floats are pulled by staff dressed in traditional attire to gather at Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine, and the procession is quite a sight to behold. Tourists often stake out their favorite yatai and follow them to the shrine. The “Omiyamairi” (Sacred Visit) parade includes up to a thousand participants, along with shrine palanquins, lion dances, kagura music, gagaku court music, and cockfighting performances, creating a day-long carnival. As night falls, the yatai are illuminated by hundreds of lanterns, adding to their splendor. The second day continues the festivities, and as dusk falls, the yatai are led back to their storage halls in sequence, guided by the drums from the Kagura float, ready to dazzle again the following autumn.

 

●Read more: Foreign tourists love Taiwan’s sightseeing buses — with over 50% occupancy rate

http://goo.gl/BZ2wq