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- [Only Shrine Rituals Held in 2022] "Kaihisai" Omito Festival of Tsushima Shrine
Tsushima-City [Only Shrine Rituals Held in 2022]
"Kaihisai" Omito Festival of Tsushima Shrine
Date : 02/20/2023
Only shrine rituals to be held in 2022. Members of the public will not be allowed to attend.
The Kaihisai Festival (Omito) is an important ritual with over 700 years of tradition at the famous Owari Tsushima Shrine. At around 7:30 in the evening, two massive straw torches measuring about 1.5 meters in diameter and over 10 meters in length are lit up creating a great flame. This burning object is carried on the shoulders of the parishioners and brought abruptly inside the shrine's grounds, where it is rolled and undone, the straw spread on the ground while still burning. The faithful spectators will then dispute among themselves to gather some of the straw - taking care to burn it a little - now believed to serve as amulets to ward off lightning bolts, crop parasites and, believe it or not, toothaches!