EVENTS THINGS TO DO 

The enccentric festival of Kagawa – Hyoge Festival

Life Takamatsu

The Hyoge Festival is an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Takamatsu city. In the dialect of the region “Hyoge” means humorous and funny.

002During Edo period, a civil engineer named Heiroku Yanobe built a reservoir called
Shin-ike to solve the drought occurring across Asano area. The Hyoge Festival is not only to appreciate the achievement of Heiroku Yanobe but also a ceremony to pray for a rich harvest.

004Nowadays, the Hyoge Festival is held when the ceremony at Shin-ike shrine finished. The citizens will appear with vivid makeup head covered with a hat made by lotus leaves and palm. They also wear samurai clothes made of feed paper bags and handle Japanese swords made of taro stems and pumpkins. The parade starts at Asano regional education center to Shin-ike an about 2 kilometers walk. Once arrive the bearers jump into the reservior with sedan chairs made of bamboo pipes and cypress leaves. Here is the climax and finale of the festival.

005Generally, the atmosphere of Japanese festival is solemn and quiet. However, the special style of Hyoge Festival is really different to that image. The reason comes from a bad rumor. Heiroku Yanobe was a hero loved by all the citizens but got a slander after he finished the Shin-ike. He was then exiled by the main faction of Takamatsu to Awa province, now called Tokushima. The citizens, who could not go against the head of the city, held this parade with humor and fun to protest indirectly. That was the origin of Hyoge Festival.

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You have maybe already experienced many Japanese festivals that are solemn, respectful and luxurious. But if you have time, come to Kagawa and experience a festival full with humor and local atmosphere.

INFORMATION

The Hyoge Festival 2018

      • Date: 9 Set., 2018 (Sunday) 14:00 – 16:00
      • Origin of parade: Asanoshurakukenshu Center (Asano regional education center)
      • Inquiry: +81-87-839-2660
        +81-87-888-2537
      • Web：http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/kurashi/kosodate/bunka/bunkazai/hyouge_matsuri.html
      • Free shuttle bus: There are free shuttles from Kagawa center to the orgin or destination of parade.
        ①Round trip between Kagawa center and orgin (Asanoshurakukenshu Center): From 13:00 – 14:30, operating at any time. (About 5-minute drive)
        ②Round trip between Kagawa center and destination (Shin-ike): From 14:30 – 17:00, operating at any time. (About 3-minute drive)
      • Access to Kagawa center:
        ①Take Kotoden bus line 塩江(Shionoe) from JR Takamatsu station( bus stop no.5
        JPY620) or Kawaramachi station ( bus stop no.4 JPY580).
        Bus no. 51 direct to 栗林公園 (Ritsurin koen)・仏生山(Busshozan)・岩崎(Iwazaki)
        Bus no. 53 direct to 栗林公園(Ritsurin koen)・塩江(Shionoe)
        Take off at 竜満池(Ryumanike)(About 45-minute drive)(time table and line map)
        and walk to香川総合センター (Kagawa center) about 5 minutes.
        Time table
        ②Take Kotoden bus line 鹿角(Kanotuno) from JR Takamatsu station (bus stop no.5 JPY680) or Kawaramachi station (bus stop no.4 JPY640).
        Bus no. 35 direct to 栗林公園 (Ritsurin koen)・日生ニュータウン(Nissay newtown)
        Take off at 川東(Kawahigashi) (About 45-minute drive) (time table and line map)
        and walk to香川総合センター (Kagawa center) about 5 minutes.
        Time table