Free children's mikoshi at Beitou Hot Spring Festival carried by elementary school students

By MOOK Traveler’s Life Net / Reported and compiled by Li Xinyi

Known for its Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama City in Japan, following last year’s popular mikoshi-bumping event in Taiwan, will once again cross the sea this October 19 to participate in the “2012 Taipei Hot Spring Festival” to be held around Xinbeitou MRT Station, and will present two handcrafted children’s mikoshi valued at 4 million Japanese yen (approximately 1.51 million Taiwanese dollars). These children’s mikoshi, set to make their debut, are the first ever gifted by Matsuyama City to a sister city in its century-long history. On October 20–21, local elementary school students from Beitou will carry the children’s mikoshi in a street parade.

As the mikoshi are entirely handcrafted, it takes at least six months to create one, sometimes even 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 by October this year, they specially set aside their treasured mikoshi display piece as the prototype for this project. The subsequent detailed decoration also took nearly four months. The entire process involved a team of over 20 people, and the head of the company will also come to Taiwan to explain the mikoshi-making process.

The children’s mikoshi at the “2012 Taipei Hot Spring Festival” will offer a heartwarming and adorable street parade, different from the energetic adult mikoshi-bumping scene. The event will feature an international cultural exchange performance by Yifang Elementary School and Yixian Elementary School in Beitou. On October 20–21 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 through Beitou Park, and enter the south side road near Xinbeitou MRT Station. The elementary school students carrying the mikoshi will wear special commemorative happi coats designed by Matsuyama City—traditional festival attire derived from kimono.

The two children’s mikoshi cost a total of about 4 million Japanese yen. Each mikoshi stands approximately 80–90 cm tall (over 100–120 cm when including the phoenix on the roof), and measures about 55–60 cm in length and width, weighing around 65–85 kg. Additionally, a handle about 3–4 meters long will be attached. The mikoshi are entirely handcrafted from solid wood (red pine, paulownia, cypress, and plywood). After their debut 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.

● Read more: Century-old Japanese mikoshi makes Taiwan debut, festive bumping electrifies Beitou Hot Spring Festival

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