FESTIVALS. June 1-Sept. 20 UKAI (Cormorant Fishing) on the Hiji-kawa (river) Ozu City. -August 4 DOYO YOICHI (Saturday Fair) 13:00-21:00.

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1 July 2018 page 2 FESTIVALS FESTIVALS June 1-Sept. 20 UKAI (Cormorant Fishing) on the Hiji-kawa (river) Ozu City In Japan the tradition of fishing with cormorants goes back at least a thousand years. In Ozu it started as a tourist attraction in 1957 and now the Hiji-kawa is one of the three most famous ukai spots in Japan, including the Nagara-gawa in Gifu Prefecture and the Mikuma-gawa in Oita Prefecture. The fishing is done from a boat called u-bune, which is lit by torches as it sails down the Hiji-kawa, which runs through Ozu. Cormorant fishermen called usho, beat the sides of the boats to encourage trained cormorants to catch fish. They are drawn by long strings attached to rings around the birds' necks, which prevent them from swallowing fish. When a cormorant makes a catch, a fisherman pulls the bird in and has it cough up the fish on the boat. You can watch it from special sightseeing boats called yakata-bune. Ukai is done in the way called awase-ukai that u-bune and sightseeing yakata-bune sail down the river together. The fare is as follows: Adults Children (over three & elem. School ) Daytime Sundays, August 13, 14, 15 11:30-13:30 4,500 yen 3,000 yen (including meals) Night June 1-Sept :00-20:40 Standard set 6,000 yen 4,500 yen (including tea, meals and oshibori, rolled hand towels) Overnight set (stay at a hotel) 12,000 yen 10,500 yen You need to make a reservation in advance at Ozu Machinoeki Asamoya (Tel ). Further information: Machinoeki Asamoya Transportation: Take an Iyotetsu bus bound for Yawatahama from Shieki, gate #4, and get off at Ozu Honmachi, a 90-minute ride. Or take a JR express train from Matsuyama and get off at Ozu, a 40-minute ride. From the station take a taxi or walk for 30 minutes. -August 4 DOYO YOICHI (Saturday Fair) 13:00-21:00 On Saturdays from late June, Okaido, Gintengai Streets and Matsuchika Town are filled with booths. There are games such as kingyo-sukui (goldfish catching), food, various kinds of things to buy and crowds of people enjoying the fun. July 1-10 OYAMA-BIRAKI (Opening of Mt. Ishizuchi) July 1st is the official opening of Mt. Ishizuchi (1,982 m), the highest mountain in western Japan. It is

2 also considered a holy mountain and many believers from all over Japan come to climb it and pray. On June 30th three gods are taken in portable shrines from Ishizuchi-jinja near Saijo to Jojusha, the shrine at the top of the mountain. The three gods represent wisdom, compassion and courage, which are said to be the three masculine virtues. On the morning of July 1st, from about 7:00 small statues of the gods are carried to the top of the mountain one by one to the accompaniment of drums and conch shells followed by men dressed in white, called sendatsu-san. At the top they pray for health and safety while tapping the statues on each others backs. The gods are enshrined there until July 10th. In the past no women were allowed to climb Mt. Ishizuchi. Now they can, but they are still not allowed on July 1st. The climb is not so difficult and takes about two hours from Tsuchigoya. (Tel Ishizuchi-jinja) Transportation: (JR Shikoku Bus) JR Matsuyama station Kumakogen bus stop Tel :30 7:43 Then you have to change buses. Kuma-eigyosho bus stop is just across Kumakogen bus stop. (Iyotetsu Nanyo Bus) Kuma-eigyosho bus stop Tsuchigoya Tel :20 11:00 (Iyotetsu Nanyo Bus) Tsuchigoya Kuma-eigyosho 16:30 18:04 (JR Shikoku Bus) Kumakogen JR Matsuyama 19:01 (only weekdays) 20:12 (only weekdays) July 7 TANABATA (star festival) According to a Chinese legend it is only once a year that two lovers, the Shepherd (Altair) and the Weaving Princess (Vega), are able to cross the Milky Way and meet. Bamboo branches are decorated with tanzaku, strips of colored paper on which wishes are written, and brightly colored balls with long paper streamers. In Ehime this is usually celebrated on August 7th according to the lunar calendar. July 14-Dec. 2 THE 24th NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF KAMABOKO-ITA-NO-E 9:00-17:00 (closed on Tuesday) at GALLERY SHIROKAWA Shirokawa-cho, Seiyo City The national exhibition of paintings on kamaboko (fish-paste) boards started about twenty years ago. This year 9,015 paintings were sent from all over the country and abroad. The painting which won the

3 first prize this year is the one titled Mukuna shisen (innocent eyes of a child). It was painted by Seo Kaede from Gunma Prefecture to represent her three-year-old son. (Tel ) July 15 MISHIMA SUIGUN (sea guards) TSURUHIME (Princess Tsuru) FESTIVAL Omishima-cho, Imabari City On the approach to Oyamazumi-jinja (shrine) and square in front of Miyaura Port Tsuruhime was a beautiful girl called the Jeanne d' Arc of the Seto Inland Sea. She was a daughter of the chief priest of Oyamazumi-jinja. In the 16th century the enemy Ouchi clan tried to occupy Omishima Island. Tsuruhime bravely fought against them and won. But she committed suicide by throwing herself into the sea when she knew that her fiancé had been killed in the battle. This festival is a memorial service for her. On the eve of the festival an opening ceremony is held at 18:30 at the shrine. 10:00 Tsuruhime procession: A girl dressed as Tsuruhime and about 80 men in samurai costumes parade from Oyamazumi-jinja to Miyaura port showing short scenes of the Tsuruhime legend (Tel ) 11:30 Kamiura-kaido Yume taiko (drum) performance 12:00 Mochimaki (rice cake throwing) 13:00 Kaidenma boat race 20:00 Firewprk display July UWAJIMA USHIONI MATSURI Uwajima City FIREWORK DISPLAY This is one of the biggest festivals in Shikoku. The main feature is Ushioni (ox devil). Ushioni, having the body of an ox and the head of a devil, are made of red, blue or brown cloth or hemp palm bark. They parade in the city center. Legend says ushioni were used to frighten the enemy. Togyu (bull fights) are also held during this festival. It will be cancelled in case of rough weather :00 (Kids) / 16:30 Uwajima Gaiya Carnival on Kisaiya Road and Ushioni Street. "Gaiya" means terrific in the local dialect.

4 16:00-21:00 All-comer Festa at Chuo-cho Fureai square 23 10:45 Brass band parade 13:20 Kids Ushioni parade on Ushioni street 16:00-21:00 All-comer Festa at Chuo-cho Fureai square 17:00 Uwajima odori (dance) on Kisaiya road 20:30-21:10 Fireworks over Uwajima Bay (5,000 rounds) 24 12:00 Togyu at the bull fighting arena in Maruyama Park is held. Two bulls fight each other as in a sumo bout. The bull that runs away is the loser. 12:50 Ushioni parade from Ushioni street to Sukagawa (river) 16:00-21:00 All-comer Festa at Chuo-cho Fureai square 18:50 Hashirikomi (running in): From Ushioni street men carrying portable shrines run into the Sukagawa (river) and compete to get paper streamers (from a Shinto ceremony) attached to a bamboo pole stuck in the river. This is the climax. 20:40 Fireworks at Maruyama Park ground (1,000 rounds) (Tel ) 20:50 Hashirikomi in the Sukagawa Transportation: Take a JR express train bound for Uwajima. It takes about one hour and fifteen minutes. July 22 The 20th SHIMANAMI-KAIDO TAKIGINO (noh play by firelight) at Oyamazumi-jinja (shrine) Miyaura. Omishima-cho, Imabari City 17:00 Open 17:45-18:15 Explanations about performances 18:30-20:30 Shimai :Tooru (A ghost of Minamoto-no-Toru, the 12th son of Saga Emperor) Kyogen : Oni-gawara (devil-faced roof tile) Noh: Hagoromo (feather robe) Shimanami-kaido Takigino is an annual event widely known among noh and kyogen (comic plays) lovers in Japan. Noh and kyogen performed by top class performers (one of them is designated as Living National Asset) are held in the precincts of Oyamazumi-jinja. In case of rain it will be held at Imabari City Hakata Kaihatsu Sogo Center. Ticket: Advance ticket 6,000 yen Day ticket 7,000 yen Younger than high school students 1,000 yen (Advance, day)

5 You can get an advance ticket at Ehime-shimbun-ryoko, Ehime-shinbun-sha, Iyotetsu Takashimaya Department Store, and Lawson convenience stores. As the performances are held in the evening, you should go there by car (about 2 hours from Matsuyama). Ehime-shinbun-ryoko provides Takigino bus tour service. From Matsuyama 8,000 yen (including meals, but not tickets) You have to buy tickets yourselves. Ask for a pamphlet from Ehime-shimbun-ryoko. Address Ote-machi , Matsuyama city (Tel ) Further information: Ehime-shinbun-sha (Tel ) July 28 KAZAHAYA UMI MATSURI (sea festival) HOJO FIREWORK DISPLAY 20:20-21:00 Tsuji, Hojo, Matsuyama City About 4,000 rounds of fireworks are displayed at Niage-ba, Hojo Port and on Kashima Island. Many stalls are set up. It takes about ten minutes on foot from the JR station to the port. In case of rain it will be held on July 29th. (Tel ) Transportation: 10-minute walk from JR Hojo station August 1-31 DOGO-ONSEN NATSU MATSURI (summer festival) Around Dogo-onsen Honkan (main building), Botchan square, Hojo-en (opposite Dogo-onsen station) August 1-2 Dogo-mura matsuri (village festival) A mid-summer festival opens in the Dogo-onsen area. Many stalls of old-fashioned fun such as kingyo-sukui (goldfish catching), kaki-gori (shaved ice), and takoyaki are set up. 1 9:30-10:30 Yugama-yakushi (The healing Buddha of Dogo spa) ceremony is held in thanks for the blessing of Dogo hot spa :00 Let s try sports test! 14:00 Performances Jinrikisha (rickshaw) riding near Hojo-en 18:00 Dogo yoichi (night fair) on Haikara street (shopping arcade)

6 18:30 Performances 20:00 Local entertainment Other events 1-30 Japanese drum performances, local entertainment, and music at Botchan square 1-7 Tanabata matsuri (Star festival) 1-8 Matsuyama matsuri in Dogo Kids fireworks Senko-hanabi (sparklers) 23 Yuagari asaichi (Morning fair after bathing) at Botchan square 26 Ehime chisan-chisho in Dogo (local foods and products fair) August 3-4 OZU KAWA MATSURI (river festival) 20:00-21:00 Firework display at the Hijikawa river (north side on August 3 and south on August 4) (Tel ) About 2,000 rounds of fireworks are set off each day. Most exciting and beautiful are Niagara Falls stretching 200 meters long, tinting the surface of the river with rainbow colors against the background of Ozu Castle. In addition you can watch cormorant fishing. There is a free parking for 1,900 cars. In case of rain it will be held on the next day. Transportation: See the Ukai Festival for transportation info. From JR Ozu station it takes about 15 minutes to the north riverside and 20 minutes to the south on foot. August 5 ONMAKU HANABI At Imabari Port seawall, Imabari City 20:00-21:00 This is one of the biggest firework festivals in Ehime. 10,000 rounds of fireworks are displayed. The theme this year is Tsunagu 継 (Bonds). About 200,000 people come to see

7 the festival every year. In case of rain it will be held on the 12th. Transportation: It is a 15-minute walk from JR Imabari station. (Tel ) August 5 MATSUYAMA MINATO MATSURI (port festival) MITSUHAMA FIREWORK DISPLAY 20:00-21:20 At Mitsuhama Port This is one of the biggest firework festivals in Ehime. About 11,000 rounds of fireworks are displayed. In case of bad weather it will be held on the 19th. 16:30 Brass band parade and a performance of Suigun-daiko 20:00-21:20 Firework display. (Tel ) Transportation: Take a Iyotetsu train bound for Takahama and get off at Mitsuhama station. It is a 15-minute walk from the station.

Shikoku Pilgrimage 13 days 2019

Shikoku Pilgrimage 13 days 2019 Tour map Proposed itinerary ITINERARY (13days/12nights) Day 1 Meeting at Koyasan Temple D Day 2 Cycle 65km Koyasan to Wakayama, Ferry to Tokushima Hotel TSO B Day 3 Cycle