Hyoge Festival takes place in Asano-chiku, in Kagawa-cho. This part of Japan, in Kagawa Prefecture, suffers from a lack of rainfall. The event originated as a way of giving thanks to Yanobe Heiroku, who built reservoirs in the 17th century. After he was wrongfully exiled, the locals couldn't support him openly, so they made fun, silly costumes using crops, bags and other everyday items. The story has been passed on to this day, and participants still clown around wearing handmade costumes.
Time to get silly!
I don't often look like this!
Participants in this unusual festival parade through town in distinctive makeup.
Their playful behavior is actually a way of expressing gratitude to an important figure in the region's past.
The event takes place in an area with low rainfall.
Securing water for agriculture has been a challenge throughout history.
Shin-ike Reservoir was built as a solution to that problem,
and the festival emerged as a way of expressing gratitude.
Water is life. It's thanks to
this reservoir that our village exists.
It supports our families.
Shin-ike Reservoir was built by Yanobe Heiroku.
He was a low-ranking samurai in the Takamatsu domain who wanted to help a community struggling with water shortages.
The villagers were overjoyed to have a solution to their problem.
But Heiroku was falsely accused of plotting to flood his leader's castle, and was exiled from the domain.
People owed him a great debt
for building the reservoir.
They wanted a way to thank him.
That's how the festival started.
In the local dialect, "hyoge" means "clown about."
Great! Time to get silly!
People began using makeup for comic effect in an effort to make sure that the local rulers wouldn't interpret the festival as a rebellion.
Should the turtle's tail
curve up or down?
The equipment used in the festival is all made by hand.
This is pretty heavy!
- "How is it?"
- Not bad!
Crops from local fields are used in recognition of Heiroku.
These will be used as swords.
Everyday items are combined creatively with the crops.
The costumes are made using bags for rice or animal feed.
They're made to look funny on purpose.
The portable shrine, "mikoshi" is itself handmade.
Cypress leaves are carefully applied, one by one.
Inside, instead of a bell, there's a kettle.
Here's the finished shrine.
It will carry the spirit of Yanobe Heiroku.
Local elementary school children learn about Heiroku's feat, and keep the tradition going.
This has a real Heiroku look.
It's called a jinbei.
He made over 400 storage ponds.
- "Really?"
- It's true.
We should thank Heiroku.
He's like a god.
He saved people's lives.
He's a kind of hero.
In their third year, children make their own costumes, and parade through the school.
From their fourth year, they take part in the main festival.
This heart is the highlight.
Heiroku-san saved everyone in Asano.
Thank you for building
a reservoir for us.
The story shows how tough life was,
and they tell it really well.
It was very moving!
This much-loved local festival has been designated as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Takamatsu City.
In 2022, Hyoge Festival was held properly for the first time in three years.
COVID-19 was always on our minds
as we prepared for the event.
It's great to hold a proper festival
for the first time in three years!
Around 160 people, led by lion dancers, parade through town.
By constantly clowning around, they celebrate the harvest, and give thanks to Heiroku.
People throw straw-tipped spears to each other.
It's a traditional festival performance.
It takes two hours for the parade to reach Shin-ike Reservoir.
The energy levels stay high from start to finish.
A priest shoots an arrow into the reservoir to drive away evil spirits.
The final step is to give thanks for the blessing of water by carrying the shrine right into it.
We couldn't hold the festival
for three years.
I'm glad that so many people
took part this year.
It's a valuable element of local
culture. And it's so much fun!
People were saying, "I'm so glad
we were able to hold it this year!"
My job's to make sure the festival
is always as lively as it was today.