Hinaga Omazu Festival

It is said that the festival began in the mid-Edo period when a palace was dedicated to pray for rain at Hinaga Shrine. A horse decorated with a gohei (a sacred wand) and a saddle, a neck helmet, a nose guard, a shiridaoi (a shoulder strap), and a mud guard is pulled by four people, who also carry tall lanterns, musicians, and children. The procession gathers at the four crossroads of the main gate of Hinaga Shrine to the accompaniment of music. Once the decorated horses are gathered, they are marched back and forth through the streets of the main gate. The colorful attire of the pullers varies depending on the area.