Hakusan City Tourist Information Guide

Spring

Mikawa Okaeri Festival

This is the spring festival of Fujitsuka Shrine. A portable shrine led by 13 festival floats and a youth group blowing bugles parades around the town. In the early morning of Day 1 (the 3rd Saturday of May), they leave Fujitsuka Shrine. Following 13 festival floats decorated with elaborate urushi lacquer designs known as maki-e or urushi-e, a portable shrine carried by youths dressed in formal Japanese attire for men with the family crest is paraded around the town and arrives at its tentative palace (resting place) late at night. Then, at night on Day 2, the portable shrine leaves the resting place and goes back to the shrine just before dawn the next day, carried by men who live along its "return route." This route is decided on a once-in-every-10-years rotation basis. Festival lanterns line the street to welcome back the deity. On both days, the whole town is caught up in a festival fever. The excitement reaches its peak with the participation of a lot of out-of-town visitors.

Summer

Mushi Okuri (seeing off the insects) in Yokoe

This is a ceremony to see off the insects that are harmful to crops, and to pray for a good harvest. The ceremony used to be held in every part of Japan, but nowadays it is conducted in a smaller number of places. In the evening, the procession starts with an Okedo Daiko drum at its head, followed by people carrying torches. They walk around a lot of rice paddies and then set fire to an arch made of straw rope with the Chinese characters for "Mushi Okuri" in the middle. The flames make the characters stand out clearly.

Summer

Torigoe Ikkōikki Festival

This festival is held in memory of the Ikkōikki rioting mobs based at Torigoe Castle, who rose up against the troops of Oda Nobunaga and survived a fierce battle. It is held in August every year. Thousands of lit candles and dancing are dedicated to those predecessors. A spectacular fireworks display starts at the height of the festival; large flowers of fire adorn the night sky of Torigoe.

 

Summer

Hakusan Ichirino Illuminations – Connecting Hakusan through light

Beautiful LED illuminations are lighting up the night sky at Ichirino Ski Resort. They are on for 4 hours after the sun sets and change colour every 30 minutes. There are bathing and accommodation facilities in the local area for those who wish to relax and fully enjoy the colourful lights.
Also, every Sunday during the event period, there will be music events with food and local products being sold from stalls. The Ichirino Ski Resort restaurant will also be open until 21:00 every Saturday and Sunday.
Take this opportunity to enjoy your food while gazing at the magical illuminations that cover the slopes.
Furthermore, we are holding an illumination experience event where you can write your wish on a plate and have it placed among the lights. This event will be held every day during the above dates but limited to 100 people per day.
Reservations: Hakusan City Tourism Federation (076)259-5893
※Same day bookings are not accepted

 

Autumn

Horai Festival

This fall festival of Kinkengu Shrine, held to celebrate a bumper crop, dates back about 800 years. The festival features big dolls called Tsukurimono, one of which is a giant samurai warrior doll of about 5 meters in height. It is very impressive to see it paraded around the town.

Winter

Yuki-daruma (snowman) Festival

This is a festival of the Shiramine area, one of the heaviest snowfall areas of Japan. Local people make their own snowmen as if to show off their creativity, and put them in front of their houses. The whole town is full of snowmen. They are illuminated by candlelight in the evening, which makes you feel like you are in a world of fantasy. During the festival, the town is full of life; there are a lot of food stalls selling locally produced foods such as botamochi rice dumplings, sweet zenzai red bean soup, grilled char, and okara doughnuts.

Winter

Higashi-futakuchi Bunya Festival

The Japanese traditional bunya puppet show called "Deku-no-mai" has been handed down in the Higashi-futakuchi area for over 350 years. It is said that its history began when some local volunteers taught people here how to do it after they had learned it in Kyoto. Bunya-bushi storytelling, with its melody and unique foot tapping, resonates in this snowbound mountainous area. The bunya here is said to have retained its original style. The coordination of puppeteers and their puppets can make the performance either powerful or graceful. You can get a glimpse of how people were in the olden days. This type of puppetry is an important intangible folk cultural property of Japan.