Cultural Assets－Festivals

In the past, it was traditional in Kada, which welcomed Shugendo followers on their way to destinations on the Tomogashima Islands, to perform a Daigomaku ritual involving burning sacred pieces of wood below the Kada Ajigamine Gyoja-do shrine to coincide with the departure of monks to the mountains at Shogo-in Temple. The tradition died out dozens of years ago, but in 2015 this historic practice was revived by a local group. A fire altar was constructed at Kada Beach, and Shugendo practitioners associated with Shogoin monzeki burned ritual pieces of wood to pray for success in their training. It is extremely unusual for this ancient ritual to be performed with an ocean backdrop.