Kure’s Kamayama Shrine Fall Festival October 12-13th!

Kameyama Shrine, about a 20-minute walk from Kure Station, will hold its fall festival on the weekend of the 12th and 13th of October this year. The festival-eve vigil will happen on Saturday, the 12th, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., during which the shrine’s priests and maidens will chant and dance on the shrine grounds. On Sunday, the 13th, festivities will commence at 8:00 in the morning and continue until 10 o’clock at night.

Address: 1-9-36 Shimizu, Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, JAPAN

Saturday Schedule

6:30-7:30 p.m.: Chanting and dancing at the back of the shrine

7:00-10:00 p.m.: Shrine maidens’ ceremonial dance inside shrine (visitors can obtain talismans at the window)

Sunday Schedule

8:00-8:30 a.m.: Yabu (guys in demon masks pictured above) and lion purification ritual

10:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.: Shrine maidens’ ceremonial dance inside shrine (visitors can obtain talismans until 10:00 p.m.)

1:30-2:20 p.m.: Yabu and lion enter shrine grounds for climactic ritual

4:00-5:00 p.m.: Transport of portable shrine to Kure Nakadori

5:15-6:00 p.m.: Transport of portable shrine back to Kameyama Shrine

8:00-10:00 p.m.: Cleaning up of Kameyama Shrine grounds

For the duration of the festival, the vicinity of Kameyama Shrine will be closed to vehicular traffic, turning the streets into a Pedestrians’ Heaven. Needless to say, Sunday will be the busier day, so come on down to Kure’s Kameyama Shrine on October 13th to witness fun and traditional performances by the Yabu, the lion, the portable shrine carriers, and more!