Kochi’s Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine: Onabare procession, Neri-ko naginata dance and autumn stalls

Neri-ko dance and mikoshi procession

November 6 is the day of the annual festival and autumn festival at Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine. The Onabare festival features a procession carrying the mikoshi. The shrine also describes local young people lifting the mikoshi as one of the festival’s memorable scenes.

The Neri-ko leading the procession are ten boys from Kochi City’s Urado district. Wearing women’s clothing, with white makeup and red accents, they move slowly in front of the mikoshi, performing a naginata dance. To take in the flow of the procession, watch the Neri-ko dance alongside the progress of the mikoshi.

The gathering of the Tosa Domain’s firearm corps, dating back to the domain period, is another highlight noted by the shrine. Along with the Neri-ko’s naginata dance, look out for the firearm corps and local young people carrying the mikoshi to appreciate the different groups that make up the procession.

Stalls and shrine offerings from early afternoon

According to the official information, stalls line the shrine approach from early afternoon, drawing many visitors. If you would like to visit the stalls, it may be worth planning to stay into the afternoon. At the shrine office, auspicious bamboo branches and sakaki branches prepared by the women’s association are distributed.

The shrine’s official website also lists the Yoimatsuri evening festival, held on November 5, the day before the annual festival. It is described as a ceremony in which the mikoshi is taken out of its storehouse after the rites to prepare for the following day’s Onabare procession. When planning your visit, check the November 5 evening festival separately from the Onabare festival on November 6.

The available information does not give a start time or detailed schedule for the Onabare festival or procession. To ask about the procession time, contact Wakamiya Hachimangu Shrine in advance at 088-841-2464.

By public transport, take Tosa Den Kotsu from JR Kochi Station to Harimayabashi, then take a Tosa Den Kotsu bus to Nagahama Eigyosho. The shrine is a 10-minute walk from the bus stop. The journey from JR Kochi Station by car is also listed as taking about 20 minutes.