Revisiting the Flower Festival of Okumikawa: The Reason Behind Its Spread

Abstract

  The Flower Festival of Okumikawa is often thought to be a medieval performing art, but the festival that spread in the Okumikawa area is actually rather new, from the latter part of the Edo Period to the early Showa Era years. The reason behind this is that due to social changes in the mid-Edo Period, young people became the main players in the performing arts. On the other hand, in response to the fervent prayers to the gods of villagers suffering from famine, epidemics, natural disasters, and so forth, the Gozutenno was worshipped, the festival dance was revamped based on the age ladder, and the Sakakioni was created and enlarged. Such changes in Okumikawaʼ s Flower Festival became a major trend that gained prominence.