Kunishige Sairei 2026 Experience
The Kunishige Sairei takes place in Kunishige, Noto Town, on August 17 and 18. The festival is especially striking on the first evening, when a 7-meter Kiriko moves beneath a large burning torch. The fire represents mushi-okuri, a traditional practice of driving away harmful insects from crops. The following day, the Kiriko and mikoshi continue their procession through the community.
A Brief History
The festival is traditionally said to have begun when villagers faced drought and disease and turned to the gods for help. They beat drums to pray for rain and a good harvest. This tradition developed into the summer festival held at Kunishige Hakusan Shrine. The Kunishige Taiko, performed for the shrine’s deity Kikurihime, is now recognized as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Noto Town.
Festival Experience
We visited on the second day of the festival, when the Kiriko procession takes place in the afternoon. Amusingly, due to a lack of people to carry the mikoshi, it was transported by a kei truck. It also seemed that some of the Kiriko carriers had come from neighboring towns to help support the festival.
There was only one Kiriko, and unlike some other festivals, this Kiriko did not have wheels and had to be carried by hand. The procession continued with the Kiriko leading the way, followed by the mikoshi being transported on the kei truck.
