May 4th
No procession on this day.
Deity statues are displayed at designated houses (yamayado) in each neighborhood with empty hikiyama floats nearby. This event is known as kazariyama, meaning roughly “floats on display.”
| Morning | Hikiyama and house floats removed from storage The three hikiyama floats on display at the Johana Hikiyama Festival Floats Museum are consecrated and returned to their respective neighborhoods. The other three floats are removed from their respective storage areas and assembled, and the deity statues are moved to their designated display locations.
Note: Three hikiyama and three house floats (half of the total) are displayed in the museum each year. After the festival, on May 6th, the hikiyama, house floats, and canopies displayed the previous year are moved to their respective neighborhoods for storage, while those not displayed the previous year are de-consecrated and placed in the museum. |
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| 6 p.m. | Float song (iori uta) performances begin Location: Johana-Za (Johana Traditional Entertainment Center) Float musicians from each of the six neighborhoods perform their songs at Johana-Za, where the divine palanquins are lodged before the festival. Also featured are lion dance performances, a shrine maiden dance (Urayasu no Mai), and the Johana Festival Song (sung by students from Johana Elementary School). |
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| 6 to 9 p.m. | Must-see: six hikiyama floats on display in their respective neighborhoods All floats can be viewed in about an hour walking at a leisurely pace. |
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| 6:30 to 9 p.m. | Float song concert (may be cancelled in case of rain) Location: outdoor stage in front of the Johana Hikiyama Festival Floats Museum. Includes: lion dances, a shrine maiden dance (Urayasu no Mai), the Johana Festival Song, and float songs. |
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May 5th (10 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Festival day; procession begins. Lion dance troupes, a ceremonial spear, and ceremonial canopies lead, followed by three divine palanquins. Hikiyama and house floats join the procession at 10 a.m. from Johana Bestuin Zentokuji Temple.
*Times may vary depending on the speed of the procession and other factors.
| Early morning | Deity statues are transferred from their display locations to their respective hikiyama; hikiyama and house floats are prepared for departure. | |
| 9 a.m. | Palanquin procession begins Ceremonial canopies, the ceremonial spear, and lion dance troupes gather at the palanquin lodge (Johana-Za, the Johana Traditional Entertainment Center) and lead the procession as it departs. These are followed by three divine palanquins (from the Johana’s Kasuga, Hachiman, and Shinmei shrines) and an additional children’s palanquin. The palanquins visit houses that have made offerings before returning to Shinmei Shrine at around 3 p.m. |
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| 10 a.m. | Hikiyama and house float procession begins The six hikiyama and six house floats line up in front of Johana Betsuin Zentokuji Temple before departing. The house floats move through town playing float songs until around 10 p.m. Must-see: floats passing in front of the historic Imamachi Street warehouse complex (around 10:30 a.m.). |
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| 12 p.m. | Break Hikiyama and house floats enter their break time, starting at the front of the procession and followed by those behind. There is no procession during break time. Must-see: visit the stopped floats to appreciate their artistry up close. |
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| 1 p.m. | Afternoon float procession begins | |
| 1:20 p.m. | Must-see: floats fold up the edges of their roofs to pass through Haba Street, the narrowest part of the parade route. | |
| 2 p.m. | First set of float song performances begin in front of the Johana Hikiyama Festival Floats Museum Six neighborhoods perform, each preceded by an explanation of the floats’ structures and key features. |
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| 4 p.m. | Turn at Nishi Shimomachi (Yokomachi) Floats perform turns next to Nishi Shimomachi Community Center as they move from Aramachi Street to Nishimachi Street. |
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| 5 p.m. | Turnaround at Demaru Hill Floats perform U-turns at the cusp of Demaru Hill, the northernmost point of the procession route. Hear the floats’ wheels squeak and groan with the speed of the turn. |
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| 6 p.m. | Break Paper lanterns are installed on the hikiyama and house floats. |
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| 6:45 p.m. | Procession resumes with lanterns attached to floats The sun goes down and the hikiyama and house floats, now with lanterns attached, become chochin-yama, or “lantern floats.” The procession resumes as float songs echo in the quiet streets of town. |
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| 8 p.m. | Second set of float song performances begins in front of the Johana Hikiyama Festival Floats Museum. | |
| 9:30 to 10 p.m. | Floats return to their neighborhoods Hikiyama and house floats execute a swift U-turn in front of the Johana branch of Nanto City Hall, the southernmost point on the procession route. After completing their turns, the floats become kaeriyama, or “returning floats,” |
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