Held on the second Saturday of June every year, the Chagu Chagu Umakko Festival is an event intended to worship Sozen-sama, the guardian deity of horses. Somewhere around 100 horses take part in the festival, and they march along a 14-kilometer route from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa City to Hachimangu Shrine in Morioka City.
The horses are decked out in ornate costumes which include bells, and the jingling sounds they make as they trot from shrine to shrine have received mention on the 100 soundscapes of Japan list.
The departure from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine is set for 9.30am, with an anticipated arrival at Hachimangu Shrine around 1.45pm.
Getting there
Onikoshi Sozen Shrine is located approximately 15 minutes by taxi from either Aoyama Station or Kuriyagawa Station, which are both served by the Iwate Ginga Railway Line.
For those who opt to drive, the shrine is under 10 minutes driving time from the Takizawa-chuo Smart IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
Kim Bergström @kim.b
Almost 12 years living in Asia. Passionate about Japan's off-the-beaten-path spots, family-friendly travel, flower events (all of them!) and the amazing tea culture here. 🍵🌼🌸
