Chinowa (straw ring) Festival

Pass through the Chinowa ring dressed in a yukata (light, summer kimono) at this summery event!

Kisaki Shrine and Kotohira Shrine in the Ogi area host a traditional purification ritual called "Nagoshi no Harae." Worshippers walk through a large ring made by twisting reeds around a circle of bamboo, to get rid of impurities accumulated in the past six months, and to pray for future well-being. Men and women of all ages start lining up at twilight. Men turn around the chinowa, set up at the shrine, three times counter-clockwise, and women turn it clockwise. Enjoy the custom of eating ayame-dango (dumplings with thickened, sweet soy sauce), which are sold at nearby shops.