Towering Floats, Creaking Wheels, and the Roar of the Crowd<\/b><\/p>\n
Designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, the Hikiyama ritual of the Seihakusai Festival ranks among the most magnificent celebrations in Noto. Each May, as fresh green leaves emerge, the festival unfolds around \u014ctokonushi Shrine \u2014 known locally as Sann\u014d Shrine \u2014 in the city of Nanao.<\/p>\n
At its heart are the Dekayama: enormous wooden floats standing approximately 12 meters tall and weighing up to 20 tons. These are not merely parade floats \u2014 they are moving monuments, pulled through narrow streets with a force and presence that stops you in your tracks.<\/p>\n
The defining moment is the tsujimawashi<\/i>, where each Dekayama is turned at a street corner, its wheels \u2014 nearly two meters in diameter \u2014 grinding and creaking against the pavement in a display of raw power and precision. Equally commanding is the role of the tekosh\u016b<\/i>, who guide the float’s direction using long levers with a mastery passed down across generations. Above it all rises the voice of the kiyarish\u016b<\/i>, whose traditional chants carry the procession forward, while the crowd’s cries of “Wasshoi!”<\/i> and “Enya!”<\/i> fill the streets with rhythm and life.<\/p>\n
Three Days That Transform a City<\/b><\/p>\n
From May 3 to 5, the center of Nanao belongs entirely to the festival. On May 4, the three Dekayama \u2014 from Kajimachi, Fuchumachi, and Uomachi \u2014 converge at \u014ctokonushi Shrine in a gathering of breathtaking scale. On May 5, they reassemble near Noto Shokusai Market and Sentai Bridge, offering another unmissable moment for visitors.<\/p>\n
On the evening of May 2, ahead of the main festivities, the Ningy\u014dmi<\/i> takes place: the ornate dolls that adorn each float are displayed in homes throughout the festival districts, offering an intimate glimpse into the extraordinary craftsmanship that defines this celebration.<\/p>\n
A Symbol of Renewal \u2014 and an Invitation<\/b><\/p>\n
Today, the Seihakusai Festival carries special meaning as a symbol of Noto’s recovery and resilience. Visitors are welcomed not as spectators alone, but as participants \u2014 invited to take the ropes and help pull the Dekayama through the streets themselves.<\/p>\n
Nearby Noto Shokusai Market and Notojima Aquarium have also resumed operations, making the festival a natural centerpiece for Golden Week travel in the region.<\/p>\n
Kanazawa Biyori shares this festival as part of its ongoing commitment to amplifying the voices and vitality of local communities \u2014 because traditions like Seihakusai are not relics of the past, but the living proof that Noto endures.<\/p>\n
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