Every year, on the 10th of April, every village on Ojika Island holds the Konpira-san festival.
The annual festival celebrates the Konpira-sanーa deity who is a guardian of sailors and seafaring.
Being an island where fishing has been a major part of local living since ancient times, every village on Ojika Island has its own Konpira shrine. The festival, however, gathers not only fishermen. Many locals come to thank the Konpira-san for the bounty of the sea they get to enjoy every day.
Each household chooses a representative who then receives a blessing from the Shinto priest.
The participants then receive sacred sake and food from the chosen family members.
After the official ceremony, everyone gathers at the table set in front of the Konpira shrine.
Locals prepare the food themselves.
Gentle giants from the nearby pasture show up at the festivities, curious about the sound of music and songs.
The Konpira-san festival usually takes place on top of a hill. Some may wonder why not by the sea, as it’s a festival celebrating the sea deity. One reason for this is that from atop the hill you can see the sea as well as the village that depends on it. Also, the tall hill acts as a landmark helping fishermen to navigate the sea.
Konpira-san festival is one of many ancient traditions that shaped the culture and lifestlye of Ojika Island.