Fujinomori Festival - Fujinomori Festival

Japanese: 藤森祭 - ふじのもりまつり

This is the annual festival of Fujimori Shrine in Fukakusa Toriizaki-cho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto City. The festival date is June 5th (originally May 5th). It is famous for a procession of armored warriors, as the deity enshrined, Prince Sawara, is said to have prayed at the shrine during his conquest of the Mongol Empire and thus defeated his enemies. There are also events such as cantering. Three portable shrines for the deities enshrined, Prince Toneri, Prince Sawara, and Prince Iyo, are also paraded through the town. What is unique about this festival is that cantering and horse-racing, which are a type of martial art, were incorporated into the event from an early stage, and the Fujimori Festival is said to be the prototype of festivals that have events featuring equestrianism as a martial art.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

京都市伏見区深草鳥居崎町にある藤森神社の例祭。祭日は6月5日(もとは5月5日)。祭神の早良（さわら）親王が，蒙古征伐のおり，当社に祈願して，それによって敵を滅ぼしたという故事により，甲冑の武者行列がでることで有名。駈馬（かけうま）などの行事もある。祭神の舎人（とねり）親王･早良親王･伊予親王の三つの神輿も町内を渡御する。この祭りで特徴的なのは，駈馬や走馬という武術の一つである馬術が早くから行事にとりいれられていたことであり，藤森祭はとくに武術としての馬術の行事がある祭りの原型となるものであるといわれている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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