On Friday, June 14, the “Okoshiya Matsuri” will be held at Nishinomiya Shrine.
Here it is↓
Place: Nishinomiya Shrine / Okoshiya historic site
Click here for the origin of “Okoshiya Matsuri”↓
目次
Schedule for the “Okoshiya Matsuri Mikoshi Procession”
2:00 p.m. Hatsuyosai Ceremony
This will be held at the main hall of Nishinomiya Shrine.
The Hatsuyosai is apparently a ritual held before the mikoshi portable shrine departs, to tell the deity riding in the mikoshi, “We are about to set off.”
Around 2:20 p.m. Departure of the Mikoshi
This is a Shinko procession, with Biwa Musume and parishioners walking in formation. It’s Ebessan’s mikoshi!
The procession will leave Nishinomiya Shrine and parade through the Monzenmachi area!
3:00 p.m. Okoshiya Matsuri
The procession arrives at the “Okoshiya historic site,” where the mikoshi is said to have once been set down for a rest, and a festival ceremony will be held.
Here it is on the map↓
The address is 6-22 Honmachi, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
4:00 p.m. Dedication of Ebisu Mai Dance
A dedication by Ningyo Shibai Ebisuza
3:40 p.m. Free Distribution of Loquats and Amazake
After the ceremony, Biwa Musume will hand out loquats (300 total)!
5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. “Okoshiya Matsuri Kagura Festival”
The Kagura Festival will be held three times, at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m., at the Okoshiya historic site.
9:00 p.m. Kangyo Hatsuyosai Ceremony
This event will also be held at the Okoshiya historic site.
9:00 p.m. Kangyosai Ceremony
This will be held at the main hall of Nishinomiya Shrine.
The Kangyosai is apparently a ritual held after the mikoshi procession, when the deity who has returned 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 apparently receive special perks😄 Inside the shrine, you can also get festival stall tickets, free amazake tickets, and more!
Shops Offering Perks
- 串膳: First drink free
- 居酒屋春日: One draft beer or chuhai free
- 炉端デニーロ: First drink free
- えびす酒場てんてん: First drink free
- うおかじ宗: First drink free
- SALT＆PEPPER: First drink free
- 地中海食堂タイーム: First drink free
- TORIKARASTAND: First drink free
- 焼肉勝っちゃん: 10% off food and drinks (up to 1,000 yen)
- カフェ ココハネ: Mini sweets gift
- たこ焼き マン福: Takoyaki senbei gift
- 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: First drink free
- エビスバール: First drink free
- 葡萄屋エビス: First drink free
- 酒美鶏 葛城: First drink free
- 祭: One Keyaki gin and tonic free
- だしの店つみ木: Free dashimaki
- 串カツ ゆらり亭: One dessert skewer free (5-minute walk from Hankyu Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi Station: 11-1 Tashirocho, Nishinomiya City)
I tried coloring the perks that personally caught my eye♪ Isn’t ギョッパ’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 age and younger: 1 festival stall ticket (first 100 people)
- Junior high school age and older: Summer Ebisu fan or 1 free amazake ticket (first 200 people)
There Will Also Be Festival Stalls
There will also be “nostalgic old-fashioned festival stalls” 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
- Spinning tops
- Nail target game, and more
Festival Games for 200 Yen per Try
- Goldfish scooping
- Cotton candy
- Yo-yo fishing
- Shooting gallery
- Egg senbei
Free Jumbo Omikuji Fortune
If you draw “Daikichi” (great blessing), 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 said to be the earliest summer festival in Kansai. Just by joining in wearing a yukata, you can get perks at local shops, enjoy the mikoshi procession, kagura dedication, and all kinds of other festival fun😆 Enjoy a wonderful day at Nishinomiya Shrine and the nearby shops!
Scenes from the 2019 festival↓
