Imanomiya-jinja and the Suhō-tei Matsuri

photo by Senbei6304 · CC0

photo by そらみみ (Soramimi) · CC BY-SA 4.0

photo by そらみみ (Soramimi) · CC BY-SA 4.0

For seven nights in August, cloth banners up to 30 metres tall and weighing 100 kilos circle the ‘demon stone’, carried on the shoulders of the men of the neighbourhood.

The Chōfu shrine, in the castle-town district of Shimonoseki, was founded according to legend in 199 on the site of Emperor Chūai's temporary palace during his campaign against the Kumaso; Chūai, Empress Jingū and Emperor Ōjin are worshipped here. It is among the shrines listed in the Engishiki (式内社, tenth century) and is recognised as a 別表 shrine by the Association of Shinto Shrines; the treasury holds ancient swords and a poem donated by Ashikaga Takauji in 1337. The Suhōtei Matsuri, celebrated as one of the ‘strange festivals under heaven’ (天下の奇祭), is held every year for a week: the men carry on their shoulders decorated banners up to 30 metres tall and weighing 100 kg, the women hold bamboo lanterns (切籠), and together they dance to the sound of drums and bells around a central stone, in memory of Chūai's legendary victory over the enemy general Jinrin, celebrated by dancing around his body.

Shinto shrine in the Chōfu neighbourhood, ranked second (二宮) among the shrines of Nagato Province. The treasure hall (宝物殿) has its own opening hours and closures, separate from the shrine.

ℹ️ The shrine can be visited freely; the treasure hall opens 8:30–16:00, entry by voluntary offering (志納), closed from 8 to 14 December. The festival is held every year for a week in August; the exact start date varies slightly between sources (see below).

🚉 Chōfu · 33 min walk

Sources: ja.wikipedia.org · yamaguchi-tourism.jp

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