DOBUROKU FESTIVAL / Kitsuki City

The ‘Doburoku (Cloudy Sake) Festival’, takes place annually on the 17th and 18th of October at the Shirahigetawara Shrine in the Ota district of Kitsuki City. It is a traditional event with a history that dates back over 1,300 years. The tradition of offering doburoku to the Gods to pray for a bountiful harvest and good health is still passed on with great care.

The ‘First Brewing Ceremony’ is held annually on the 25th of September, prior to the festival. In a brewery set up in the shrine grounds, local ujiko (people who live in the area where the shrine is located and who believe in that God) brew doburoku using traditional methods. Once brewed, the sake is served to worshippers during the festival, allowing them to appreciate its milky white colour, gentle sweetness and distinctive flavour. Worshippers journey from across the country to enjoy this doburoku.

On the day of the festival, the shrine grounds are filled with people as dedications to kagura (a Shinto ritual ceremonial dance) and mikoshi (portable shrines) parades take place. The solemn atmosphere of the ritual and the warm hospitality of the local people can be experienced in unison, making it a memorable experience.