Bonten Festival

The Bonten festival is a Shinto ritual which takes place every year on January 17. The bonten is a sacred stick 3 meters long covered with fabric and symbols representing the wishes and prayers of the faithful. This bonten is offered to the sanctuary to obtain health, safety, abundant harvests and success in business. After a fierce race to arrive first at the shrine and offer the bonten, they are displayed in the shrine courtyard.