Matsuri Guide

Name in Japanese and English

• 北条節句祭り（ほうじょうせっくまつり）
• Hōjō Sekku Matsuri, the Sekku Festival of Hōjō

History

The Hōjō Sekku Matsuri（北条節句祭り, Hōjō Sekku Matsuri）is the major spring festival (春季例大祭, shunki reitaisai, "great annual spring festival") associated with the Sumiyoshi Shrine （住吉神社, Sumiyoshi-jinja）in the former town of Hōjō（北条, Hōjō）, Kasai （加西, Kasai）(Hyōgo, 兵庫県, Hyōgo-ken).

The festival is renowned for combining elegance and power, notably through the mikoshi（神輿, mikoshi, "portable shrines") and the keshō yatai（化粧屋台, keshō yatai, "richly decorated floats") that parade through the town. The local tradition particularly highlights two rituals considered emblematic: the Ryōō-mai（龍王舞, Ryōō-mai, "Dragon King dance") and the Tori-awase （鶏合せ, tori-awase, "cock pairing rite"), organized within a Shintō（神道, shintō）framework and passed down over a very long period.

Today, the "classic" event takes place on the first Saturday and the following Sunday of April （4月第1土曜日・日曜日, shigatsu dai-ichi doyōbi・nichiyōbi）, making it a very predictable annual occasion, although the program details (times, routes, restrictions) may vary depending on the organization.

Location and Date of the Event

• Main location: Sumiyoshi Shrine（住吉神社, Sumiyoshi-jinja）and the former center of Hōjō（北条旧市街, Hōjō kyū-shigai）, city of Kasai（加西市, Kasai-shi）, Hyōgo Prefecture（兵庫県, Hyōgo-ken）.
• Address: 兵庫県加西市北条町北条1318（Hyōgo-ken, Kasai-shi, Hōjō-chō Hōjō 1318）.
• Date: variable — first Saturday of April（宵宮, yoimiya, "ritual eve/evening") and Sunday（本宮, hongū, "main day") of the same weekend.

Event Schedule

Over two days, the town lives to the rhythm of the outings of mikoshi（神輿, mikoshi）and keshō yatai（化粧屋台, keshō yatai）. On Saturday (宵宮, yoimiya), the first ceremonies are often seen at the shrine, followed by movements towards the otabisho（御旅所, otabisho, "mikoshi resting place") and notable passages in town (arrivals, maneuvers, moments of "highlighting" the floats).

Sunday (本宮, hongū) concentrates the ritual highlights: performances and offerings of Shintō dances, including the Urayasu-no-mai（浦安の舞, Urayasu-no-mai, "dance for peace and prosperity"), then the most anticipated performances such as the Ryōō-mai（龍王舞, Ryōō-mai）and, at the end of the day/evening, the Tori-awase（鶏合せ, tori-awase）. The day usually concludes with the return of the processions and the "farewell" (打ち別れ, uchiwakare) marking the end of the festival for the year.

Practical Tips

• Photos: to capture the atmosphere, aim for the vicinity of Sumiyoshi-jinja（住吉神社, Sumiyoshi-jinja）at the times of entries/exits (宮入・宮出し, miyairi・miyadashi) and the streets of the former Hōjō（北条旧市街, Hōjō kyū-shigai) during the maneuvers of the yatai（屋台, yatai）.
• Weather: early April (4月上旬, shigatsu jōjun) can be mild but changeable; bring a windbreaker layer and protection for your camera in case of showers.
• Transport: the easiest is to arrive via Hōjōmachi-eki（北条町駅, Hōjōmachi-eki）and then walk to the area. By car, expect occasional restrictions around the routes (通行止め, tsūkōdome) and use temporary parking lots when they are set up.

Sources & References

• Kasai Kankō Navi — 北条節句祭り (2025 edition)
  Announcement and program (schedule) for the 2025 edition.
• Agency for Cultural Affairs — "北条節句祭り" entry
  Heritage presentation, locations, usual period, and overview of the event.
• 住吉神社（加西市）— landmarks (address, coordinates, festival mention)
  Contextual information about the shrine and GPS coordinates.
• PDF — "Spring Calling Hōjō Sekku Matsuri" (map/info)
  PDF document presenting the festival and historical landmarks (R6 edition).