Hanamaki Souminsai

A Shinto purification festival to bring in the new year

Venue: Koshio Shrine When: Early Jan 2025

The Hanamaki Souminsai is held every year on January 2nd at the Koshio shrine on Mount Koshio.

It's a purification festival for the new year, it starts by making mochi (rice cake) and getting blessings from the local Shinto priest. After that, the participants walk up the mountain holding a torch and a blessing in their mouth to give them more determination.

Hanamaki Souminsai in video

The event finishes with the participants fighting over a pouch, a good luck bag. The fight can last over an hour and is extremely fierce, many participants end up badly bruised up. The winner is said to have a prosperous year.

Getting there

Koshio Shrine is located just a few minutes from Shin-Hanamaki Station. Also accessible by the Kamaishi line from Hanamaki Station.

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