Cultural Assets－Festivals

This traditional ritual is performed during New Year’s at Nishi no Gyoja-do, which is located on a ridge between Kimi-toge Pass and Chihaya-toge Pass. Each year on January 2, worshipers wrap up mikan oranges, celebratory persimmons, and kaya nuts in Japanese paper and make a pilgrimage to Nishi no Gyoja-do (a mini shrine to En no Gyoja), where they offer the packages along with water. According to tradition, they collect firewood on their way back down the mountain after the pilgrimage as the first job of the new year. The ritual has been designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property.