Kurashiki Byobu Festival
~ Festival of Home Unveiling ~

In the town of Kurashiki during the late Edo era to the early Meiji period, merchants decorated Byobu (Japanese folding partition) at their business places, in order to compete for their styles. In the mid Edo era, there is also an anecdotal that said that Oshimaya of Kurashiki purchased large quantities of Byobu in Kyoto and lent it to people in the town.

The rite at Achi Shrine was also known as Byobu festival in the past. It is said that many families of the town used to have a custom of removing their lattice door that faced the street, and decorated it with Byobu and flowers to welcome the guests. In 2002, “Kurashiki Byobu Festival” was brought back to life, in order to trace back to the good memories of how people used to enjoy interacting and communicating with one another, in hopes of reviving such traditions to the present life.

It is one of the registered Japanese Cultural Heritage.

Kurashiki Byobu Festival
Map 2018

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Achi Shrine “Go Jin Ko”

“Go Jin Ko” held at the Autumn festival, is a procession of about 200 people, that dates back to the Edo period. The procession is accompanied by Kurashiki Suinkyo (face masked the aged), a local favorite character, at the front and back of the line. This local ritual is an autumn tradition in Kurashiki.

Procession starts from 8 in the morning, and takes a full day to complete the 14km ~ 15km distance, that covers the parish district.

Festival celebrations are also held during the procession, at several Otabisyo spots (a place where festivals for thanksgiving to the god’s blessings are usually held), where a dance of the triple goddesses and lion dance performances can be enjoyed.

At the historical quarter, a “Sanjyoshin no Huna Junko” (boat ride of the triple goddess) performance is played along with the ancient ceremonial music, while “Mitamahuri ”(god soul shake) is held where god virtue is passed on to those who go under the portable shrine carried by a young man. A “Mikoshi Kakeagari” (upstairs run with the portable shrine) can also be observed, as the entrance of the mountain, during their last part of their performance, where they climb 200 steps in a spurt.

Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area Walking Map.

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