200-Year-Old Horse Festival Begins

Oct 05, 2026 | News On Japan

AICHI - Young men leaped onto horses racing at full speed through the grounds of Kasuga Shrine in Takahama, Aichi Prefecture, on October 3 as the city's traditional Takahama Omanto Festival got underway.

Wearing traditional happi coats, participants attempted to grab hold of horses decorated with bells as they charged around the shrine grounds, drawing cheers from spectators each time a rider successfully caught on.

The festival is designated an intangible folk cultural property of Takahama.

According to the festival preservation association, the tradition dates back about 200 years and is believed to have originally been held as a ritual to pray for rain.

Source: 産経ニュース

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