This spring festival is held April 13th to 15th every year and is not only a quintessiantial festival of Kumano but intimately associated with the pilgrimage to Kumano and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route.
April 13th
Yunobori-shinji, hot water purification and pilgrimage ritual
On April 13th fathers and their young sons purify themselves in the sacred waters of YunomineOnsenbefore walking over the Dainichi-goe section of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route to Oyunohara wearing traditional costumes. The young boys have the character for big written on their forehead and are forbidden to touch the ground.
April 15th
Portable Shrine Procession.
On April 15th the Kumano Deities are invoked to temporarily take up residence a portable mikoshi shrine and return to their original site of descending, Oyunohara. It is carried with great pomp and circumstance on the shoulders of 20 to 30 people. It’s an exciting event as the mikoshi is spun and tossed in the air as it makes its rounds purifying the village. At Oyunohara various rituals and celebrations take place, including fire rituals and mochi rice cake scramble. The atmosphere is serene, traditional, authentic and inspiring. Yamabushi mountian ascetics also perform a fire ritual. If you are interested in experiencing a traditional festival in the quiet, spiritual mountains of Kumano this is the festival for you.
Schedule
April 13
| ~ 9:00 | Ceremony Kumano Hongu Taisha and short procession through town |
| 13:00 | Ceremony at Yunomine-oji shrine in Yunomine Onsen Procession on Dainichi-goe route to Hongu |
| ~ 14:30 | Arrive in Hongu |
April 15 (Main day)
| 8:00 | Ceremony at Kumano Hongu Taisha |
| 13:00 | Procession from Kumano Hongu Taisha to Oyunohara |
| ~14:00 | Arrive in Oyunohara Ceremonies and events. Shugendo Bonfire Ritual |
| ~16:00 | Procession to Kumano |
| 17:00 | Final ceremony at Kumano Hongu Taisha |