It looks like “Okoshiya Matsuri” will be held at Nishinomiya Shrine on Friday, June 14.
Here ↓
Place: Nishinomiya Shrine and the Okoshiya Site
You can read about the origins of “Okoshiya Matsuri” here ↓
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“Okoshiya Matsuri Mikoshi Procession” Schedule
2:00 p.m. Hatsuyosai Ceremony
This will be held at the main hall of Nishinomiya Shrine.
The Hatsuyosai is said to be a ritual to inform the deity riding in the mikoshi portable shrine that “we are about to depart.”
Around 2:20 p.m. Hatsuyo Departure
This is a shinko procession, with Biwa Musume and local parishioners walking in a line. It’s Ebessan’s mikoshi!
The procession will leave Nishinomiya Shrine and make its way through the Monzenmachi area!
3:00 p.m. Okoshiya Matsuri
The procession arrives at the “Okoshiya Site,” said to be where the mikoshi was once set down for a short rest, and a ceremony will be held there.
Here it is on the map ↓
The address is 6-22 Honmachi, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
4:00 p.m. Ebisu Dance Offering
An offering by Ningyo Shibai Ebisuza.
3:40 p.m. Free loquats and amazake
After the ceremony, Biwa Musume will hand out loquats, with 300 available!
5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. “Okoshiya Matsuri Kagura Festival”
The Kagura Festival will be held three times at the Okoshiya Site: 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.
9:00 p.m. Kangyo Hatsuyosai Ceremony
This ceremony will also be held at the Okoshiya Site.
9:00 p.m. Kangyosai Ceremony
This will be held at the main hall of Nishinomiya Shrine.
The Kangyosai is said to be the ceremony in which, after the mikoshi procession ends, the deity returning to the main shrine is transferred from the mikoshi back into the shrine building.
Yukata Perks Too
On the day of the festival, if you visit the following shops near the shrine wearing a yukata👘, you can receive special perks😄 At the shrine, you can also receive things like ennichi tickets and free amazake coupons!
Shops Offering Perks
- 串膳: Free first drink
- 居酒屋春日: Free glass of draft beer or chuhai
- 炉端デニーロ: Free first drink
- えびす酒場てんてん: Free first drink
- うおかじ宗: Free first drink
- SALT＆PEPPER: Free first drink
- 地中海食堂タイーム: Free first drink
- TORIKARASTAND: Free first drink
- 焼肉勝っちゃん: 10% off food and drinks（up to 1,000 yen）
- カフェ ココハネ: Free mini sweets
- たこ焼き マン福: Free takoyaki senbei
- 餃子 唐揚げ ギョッパ！: Discount based on the number of people wearing yukata（10% off for 1 person in yukata, 20% off for 2 people, up to 50% off）
- BODEGA d’evis: Free first drink
- エビスバール: Free first drink
- 葡萄屋エビス: Free first drink
- 酒美鶏 葛城: Free first drink
- 祭: Free glass of Keyaki gin and tonic
- だしの店つみ木: Free dashimaki
- 串カツ ゆらり亭: Free dessert skewer（5-minute walk from Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi Station: 11-1 Tashirocho, Nishinomiya City）
I colored the perks that personally caught my eye♪ Isn’t Gyoppa’s discount based on the number of people wearing yukata amazing? A gyoza party in yukata sounds fun😚♪
Perks Available at Nishinomiya Shrine
- Elementary school students and younger: 1 ennichi ticket（first 100 people）
- Junior high school students and older: Summer Ebisu fan or 1 free amazake coupon（first 200 people）
There Will Also Be Ennichi Festival Stalls
It looks like “nostalgic old-fashioned ennichi stalls” will also be set up in the pine grove on the grounds of Nishinomiya Shrine😄
The hours are from 15:00~20:00 .※Canceled in case of rain
Nostalgic Play Corner（Free）
- Soap bubbles
- Top spinning
- Nail-drop game, etc.
Ennichi Activities for 200 Yen Each
- Goldfish scooping
- Cotton candy
- Yo-yo fishing
- Shooting gallery
- Egg senbei
Free Jumbo Omikuji
If you draw “Daikichi” great fortune, you’ll receive a festival stall discount ticket
Nostalgic Kamishibai Paper Theater（Free）
It looks like it will be held three times.
- 15:30~16:00
- 17:00~17:30
- 18:30~19:00
Finally
“Okoshiya Matsuri” is known as the earliest summer festival in Kansai. Just by joining in wearing a yukata, you can get perks at local shops, and there will be plenty to enjoy, including the mikoshi procession and kagura offerings😆 Have a wonderful day at Nishinomiya Shrine and the shops nearby!
Here’s what the 2019 festival looked like ↓
