Sawara Grand Festival （Chiba）~ 佐原の大祭（千葉）

The sound of “Sawara-bayashi,” echoes through the town as the floats skim past the eaves of houses in the townscape known as Koedo (a nationally designated preservation area for traditional buildings), creating a charming atmosphere that is reminiscent of scenes from the Edo period. During the summer festival in July, the Gion Festival of Yasaka Shrine, ten floats are pulled around the area on the east side of the Ono River (in the Honjuku district). On the other hand, during the Suwa Shrine Autumn Festival in October, 14 floats are pulled around the area on the west side of the Ono River (Shinjuku area). This is a wonderful and unforgettable place where I had the opportunity to do fieldwork, score musical accompaniment, and closely observe the district while I was a university student. The Sawara-bayashi, which is played when the floats are pulled, is one of Japan’s three major musical instruments and is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan.

【by Train】
JR Narita Line Sawara Station
【Highway Bus】Tokyo Station (Yaesu South Exit) → Sawara Station South Exit （105 min.）
・Keisei Bus, Chiba Kotsu
　Take Choshi Tokyo Line (Sawara Route or Omigawa Route) from Tokyo Station to Sawara Station North Exit (10 min. walk)
・Kantetsu Green Bus
　Departing from Tokyo Station bound for Hokota Station, alight at Sawara Station, etc. 10 min. walk

Sawara Grand Festival(UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage)
The main body of the float is made of zelkova (a type of Japanese zelkova) and decorated with massive Kanto carvings. A dynamic “Noji-mawashi” (turning of the character for “noji”) is performed at the intersection in front of the Yamamura Kaikan.
・Summer Festival: Sawara Honjuku District, Katori City
The summer festival is a festival of Yasaka Shrine. 10 floats are pulled around the Honjuku area. (July 15-17, 2022)
Reference : brochure , guide, map

・Autumn Festival : Sawara Shinjuku District, Katori City
Scheduled for October 7-9, 2022
The Autumn Festival is a festival of Suwa Shrine. 14 floats are pulled around the Shinjuku area, and the “Nonoji-mawashi”, a brave and gorgeous “kyokubiki”, is performed here and there.

・Ino Tadataka Memorial Museum : Ino Tadataka Memorial Museum is located in Sawara I, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture, and was established in 1998. The museum houses materials related to Tadataka Ino, such as surveying instruments, surveying maps, and diaries, which are national treasures. It is located across the Ono River from the former residence of Tadataka Ino, a National Historic Site.
OPEN : 9:30AM ~ 4:30PM, closed on Mondays and New Year’s holidays
Admission : 500 yen

・The townscape along the Ono River : Old merchant houses and town houses from the Edo period to the Meiji period stand side by side along the Ono River and the street. 63 buildings of the Edo period and the early Meiji period were built before the great fire of 1892 (Meiji 25), and 70 buildings of the late Meiji period after the great fire are present. Selected by the government as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings

・Suigo Sawara Float Hall : This is a facility for visitors to learn about the traditions and culture of “Sawara float events” and “Sawara music”, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property) that is the culmination of the Edo Yuri culture. The museum introduces the essence of the Edo Yuri culture, which has been passed down from generation to generation for about 300 years.
OPEN : 9:30AM 〜 4:30PM, closed on Mondays and New Year’s holidays
Admission : 400 yen

【Stay Over】
Nipponia Sawara : Small-scale decentralized hotel renovated from a mansion in the historical district of Sawara, known as “Edo Masari”Access