Kawauchi Ohki

A bow-shooting shrine held on January 7 every year at Nitta Shrine in Satsuma Kawauchi City. It is said that there is a history from the Kamakura period, and prays for Taihei Tenka, the harvest of five rice, the degeneration of evil diseases, and the invitation of opening. The bow is the role of Taketojin, a 7-year-old child who is counted as a priest. After the ritual at the main shrine, which is located on a small mountain, it descends a staircase with more than 300 steps and moves to the approach, which will serve as a field of shooting. First, the priest shoots the first arrow towards the 1.5m high. Next, the boy wears a kama, and the girl wears a hakama, and the child shoots a bow with a serious eye. After a while, when the role of the warrior has finished releasing all the bows and arrows, the worshipers have a habit of tearing off the big paper and bringing it back as a scammy.

Dancers from both inside and outside the city parade through the streets in vibrant costumes and happi coats along National Route 3. In addition to the grand dance, there will also be a warrior procession and a music band parade, turning the town into a sea of han'ya. Image provided by the Satsumasendai Han'ya Festival Executive Committee

Each program has its own personality, such as launching rapid-fire fireworks and firing fireworks at the same time, or launching a combination of big and small balls. Among them, the huge Niagara (1000m) that crosses the Kawauchi River that flows through the city center, one of the three major rivers in Kyushu, is stunning. Flowing sparks are reflected on the river surface, and it becomes a silver world. Image courtesy of Kawauchi Chamber of Commerce