The offering procession sets out in the afternoon; the dance in the hall does not start until nine at night and runs towards midnight.
Overview
Motsuji’s Matarajin festival runs from 14 to 20 January, and the final night, Hatsukaya-sai, is the one people travel for. Matarajin, a deity of crops, is enshrined in the inner sanctuary of the Jogyodo hall, and the night’s rites ask for a good harvest and freedom from illness.
Around 200 men and women in their yakudoshi unlucky years form the offering procession from the station to the temple. In the grounds, the men clash burning torches in the hitaki-nobori, and then, in the purified hall, the Ennen no Mai is performed – a dance tradition of over 800 years, designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
When and where
The Hatsukaya festival falls on 20 January every year, so in 2027 that is Wednesday 20 January. Based on the recent programme: the offering ceremony from 15:00, Jogyo Zanmaiku from 16:00, the goma fire rite from 19:40 and the Ennen no Mai from 21:00, ending before midnight.
Precinct admission is free from 16:30 on the day.
Getting there
JR Hiraizumi is about ten minutes from Ichinoseki, which is 2 hours 20 minutes from Tokyo by shinkansen. Motsuji is a 15-minute walk from the station – the same route the procession takes. Since the dance ends late, stay in Hiraizumi or Ichinoseki; there is no late onward transport.
What to expect
A long, cold, genuinely religious night.
- An offering procession of about 200 people from Hiraizumi station to the temple
- Hitaki-nobori, in which men in their unlucky years clash burning torches
- Shomyo chanting in the Jogyodo with the doors open to the night
- Ennen no Mai from 21:00, a series of dances running towards midnight
- A festival-only Matarajin goshuin stamp available on the night
Tickets and admission
Free from 16:30. The hall is open at the sides, so you are effectively outdoors for hours: winter boots, a heavy coat and foot warmers are not optional. Photography is tolerated but the rites take precedence.
Tips for visitors
Book accommodation in Hiraizumi well ahead – there are only a handful of options and they fill for this night. Eat before you go; the station kiosk closes at 17:00 and there is little open afterwards. If you only have an hour, arrive for the torch clash rather than the start of the rites.
Access and map
| Dates | 20 January 2027 (Matarajin festival from 14 January) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Motsuji Jogyodo, Hiraizumi, Iwate |
| Access | JR Hiraizumi station, 15 minutes on foot |
| Admission | Free from 16:30 |
| Official site | Motsuji temple |
Source: Motsuji temple official site
Image: Photo: Nerotaso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
