The Abare Festival, also known as the Fire & Violence Festival, is a vibrant Japanese celebration held annually in Ushitsu on the Noto Peninsula. Dedicated to Yasaka Shrine, it commemorates the eradication of a contagious disease from the region in the mid-1600s. This violent and lively event occurs every July on the first Friday and Saturday of the month, featuring energetic rituals and ceremonies that highlight the community's historical resilience and cultural traditions.
Celebrations
The Abare Matsuri unfolds every 1st Friday and Saturday of July in Ushitsu, Noto, beginning at Yasaka Shrine with a solemn Shinto ceremony. The festival bursts into chaotic life as Mikoshi portable shrines and over 40 kiriko lanterns parade through town. At nightfall, towering 7-meter torches blaze, illuminating the streets amid the rhythmic beat of taiko drums and spirited revelry.
On the second day, the festival intensifies into a frenzy. The Mikoshi undergoes a ritualistic destruction: hurled to the ground, plunged into the river, and finally consumed by a roaring bonfire. Amid shouts and cheers, twelve men, clad in minimal attire, vigorously dismantle the shrine, symbolizing the essence of the "Fire & Violence" Festival. Shinto priests later inspect the remains to confirm the Mikoshi's ritual completion before reverently returning them to the Yasaka Shrine.
Origins of Abare Festival
The Abare Matsuri, or Fire & Violence Festival, began 350 years ago in Noto, Ishikawa, during a severe plague outbreak. Residents sought divine intervention from Gozu Tenno of Kyoto's Gion Shrine. After prayers, a bee stung the sick, who subsequently recovered, seen as a sign from the gods. To commemorate this miraculous event, the community started parading large kiriko floats. Today, the annual festival honors this tradition, celebrating with gratitude and entertainment for the deity believed to have intervened in their time of need.
