Ceremonial Snakes: Serpent-Themed Festivals in Japan

Heavenly Messengers or Devils Incarnate?

Sharp-fanged, poisonous, slithery snakes. Despite the discomfort their appearance arouses, since ancient times they have been held in awe in all parts of the world for their unquenchable life force.

A serpent deity is venerated in a pyramid at the ancient Chichén Itzá Mayan ruins in Mexico. (© Haga Library)

A cobra mask used in Sri Lanka’s devil dance. (© Haga Library)

In Mexico’s ancient Maya culture, the plumed serpent Kukulkan was the deity of agriculture who brought rain; it was the most revered of the Maya gods. In Sri Lanka, a sorcerer dons a fearsome cobra mask to protect himself during a rite to exorcise devils. The Indian deity nāgarāja spread to every part of Asia together with Buddhism; a nāga incarnated as a serpent guards Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

A multi-headed half-human, half-serpent nāga figure in the ruins of Angkor Wat. (© Haga Library)

In the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve, a snake embodying evil leads humans astray. The nine-headed Hydra and the serpent-haired Medusa of Greek mythology inspired fear. On the other hand, deity of medicine Asclepius used the blood of Medusa for resuscitation and was the origin of the constellation Ophiuchus. Represented as a man carrying a serpent-entwined staff, Asclepius is associated with medicine even today.

In Japan, serpents can be either good or evil, bringing the blessings of rain or viciously attacking humans. Many boisterous festivals throughout the country are rooted in serpent-related traditions; here, we introduce three.

The Jagamaita festival of Mamada Hachimangū shrine in Tochigi Prefecture, which takes place on May 5 every year, features a gigantic serpent swimming in the shrine’s pond. The rite, which originated in prayers for rain, is one of many such similar festivals throughout Japan. (© Haga Library)

Iwami Kagura

(Throughout the year, Iwami Region, Shimane Prefecture)

Yamata no Orochi writhes after breathing in smoke. (© Haga Library)

The most fearsome deity in the Japanese pantheon is surely Yamata no Orochi. In the ancient chronicle Kojiki, it is described as a serpent having eight heads, eight tails, and a body long enough to cover eight mountains and valleys. It has flashing red eyes, and moss and trees grow on its body, while its stomach is always covered in blood.

The Yamata no Orochi legend begins with the deity Susanoo coming to Sentsūzan in the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture after being expelled from Takamagahara, the plain of heaven. He encounters an old couple who weep bitterly that Yamata no Orochi appears and devours one of their eight daughters every year. They implore Susanoo to protect Kushinadahime, their eighth and last child, and they hatch a scheme to deflect the serpent, brewing strong sake and placing it outside their door. Drawn by the sake, the serpent drinks its fill and falls asleep, upon which Susanoo swoops in and lops off each of its heads. Kushinadahime is spared and becomes Susanoo’s bride.

The deity Susanoo is clothed in sumptuously embroidered velvet. (© Haga Library)

In Iwami in the western part of the prefecture, some 30 sacred kagura dances based on legends are performed. Each follows the theme of good triumphing over evil, leaving audiences in suspense. When good finally prevails, spectators are giddy with exhilaration. The Orochi kagura, which is set in the area, is the most popular dance, performed against an elaborate backdrop and with splendid costumes.

The kagura dances are performed mainly in October and November but can be viewed throughout the year at shrines and tourist facilities. They are put on by over 130 groups and preservation societies; there are even old established businesses specializing in producing the costumes the dancers wear. The kagura bring the communities together and are part of tradition in Iwami.

The coils of this 17-meter-long serpent look frighteningly realistic. (© Haga Library)

Yatsushiro Myōkensai Festival

(November 23, Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture)

A serpent’s head pokes out of a tortoise’s carapace. (© Haga Library)

Japan’s festivals often feature surprising creatures. At the Myōkensai festival, an event with a 500-year history that takes place in Yatsushiro in central Kumamoto Prefecture, the star is a snake-headed tortoise, an imaginary creature that the locals have affectionately nicknamed Game.

In Buddhist teachings, Myōken refers to the guardian deity Myōken Bosatsu. Transmitted to China with the spread of Buddhism, this bodhisattva is a syncretic blend of Taoism, folk beliefs, and Buddhism. It was associated with the northern pole star and later with Genbu, protector of the northern sky. There are various theories as to why Genbu is represented as a tortoise intertwined with a snake, but the prevailing view is that the creatures represent longevity and prosperity.

The huge serpent is propelled at high speed. (© Haga Library)

According to legend, in 680 the deity Myōken arrived in Yatsushiro astride a tortoise-snake and was venerated at Myōkengū shrine. But with the new Meiji government’s policy of separating Shinto and Buddhism introduced in the late nineteenth century, Yatsushiro Myōkengū’s name was changed to Yatsushiro Shrine and the Buddhist-influenced Myōken ceased to be its enshrined deity. But the tradition lives on, with local people still referring to Myōkengū and Myōken-sama and eagerly awaiting festival day.

The Myōkensai features a variety of floats and other attractions. On the day prior to the festival, a sacred horse ridden by Myōken and a mikoshi shrine carrying part of the enshrined deity depart from Myōkengū in a procession to Shioya Hachimangū shrine 4.5 kilometers away. The next morning, on festival day, 1,700 people escort an elaborate line of decorated parasol floats, a shishi lion, and a daimyō procession parading along the previous day’s route back to Myōkengū.

Ornate parasol floats echo the yama, hoko, and yatai float festivals inscribed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. (© Haga Library)

As the procession approaches the riverbank near Myōkengū, the tortoise-serpent appears. Four meters long and weighing 100 kilograms, the huge creature runs along the riverbank, twisting and turning as it approaches festival spectators. As it stretches its neck, the crowd gives encouraging shouts of Hoi! Hoi!

The festival’s highlight is the appearance of 12 elaborately caparisoned horses. They gallop on the riverbank, flanked by attendants gripping the reins as they run alongside, who appear to fly through the air as the horses zip past.

Men and horse move as one along the riverbank. The horses appearing in the festival are raised locally. (© Haga Library)

Taishitamonja Festival

(Last Sunday of August, Sekikawa, Niigata Prefecture)

The festival’s gigantic snake has made it into the Guiness World Records. (© Haga Library)

In Sekikawa, in the northern part of Niigata Prefecture, there is an old tale about a young wife in the village turned into a snake after eating snake meat preserved in miso. The snake blocked a river and turned the village into a lake, intending to make that its lair, but the villagers got rid of the snake with the help of a biwahōshi, an itinerant lute player. The snake was likened to a flood, and the tale was passed down over generations to make the village aware of the dangers of flooding.

On August 28, 1967, a deluge caused widespread flooding in Niigata and Yamagata Prefectures. Sekikawa was also extensively damaged, but to remind the public of the peril posed by water, the Taishitamonja Festival was created and the snake resurrected on that occasion. To memorialize the date of the flood, the snake was made 82.8 meters long; it is listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s longest straw-and-bamboo snake. The 54 hamlets that make up the village work together to make the snake in sections every year. It is then paraded through the streets by a contingent of 500 men who take turns carrying the two-ton behemoth.

The snake is paraded along a four-kilometer-long route. (© Haga Library)

Seeing this gigantic snake up close is a real thrill. Anyone can help carry the snake upon reserving a place ahead of time. This festival is a very popular event that brings the community together, involves visitors who come for the festival, and carries a message about vigilance against disasters for future generations.

The snake is built in sections by the hamlets making up the village and the parts are joined up to form the whole. (© Haga Library)

(Originally published in Japanese on November 23, 2024. Dates given are those on which the festivals are usually held. Banner photo © Haga Library.)