The Sunari Festival is back for 2023 after four years!

A 400-year-old river festival

The Sunari Festival is held jointly by Tomiyoshi Tatehaya Jinja Shrine and Hakkensha Shrine in the town of Kanie. Various religious ceremonies are held over 100 days or so from July to October, giving it the nickname, "the 100-Day Festival." On the first Saturday of August during the evening festival, boats festooned with paper lanterns float along the river. The morning festival the next day too features ornate boats with a musical accompaniment.

The Sunari Festival is one of the 33 Japanese festivals added to the “Yama, Hoko, Yatai, Float Festivals in Japan” category on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December, 2016.