Degoguri Hyakumanben Nenbutsu (Sakata City)

This is held during the spring prayer at Kibune Shrine to welcome the farming season in Spring. (Every year on March 6)

In Sakamoto village, Sakata City, there are seven households. Each household brings a thick rope, about six feet long, with a sabaguchi (connecting end) at one end. These ropes are then joined together to resemble a giant string of Buddhist prayer beads.

The circle of ropes is turned and struck repeatedly and hard against the floor while chanting "Namu Amida Butsu," which means “Take refuge in Amida Buddha.” This is all done in time to the accompaniment of gong and taiko drums.

During the break in the chanting, the participants have sake and food that they have brought with them. After the event is over, each person takes the rope home and attaches to it a piece of "yakigi" (wood burned in a fire), a green onion, a red pepper, and a nanten pepper, followed by "sasa" (bamboo grass), a cedar leaf, and "nishiki" (brocade). These various items represent the sounds in the blessing "yakekusai, karai karai, nantei ukotoda, sassato, sugi sase, watatte shimau.” This "Degoguri" is hung on a tree at the entrance of a house to ward off evil spirits.

～The Origin of Degoguri

In the old days, young people participated in an event to drive away demons by hitting the floor with ropes and feel pride in each other, which led to the local custom of "Degoguri."

From there, it came to be called "Degoguri Hyakumanben Nenbutsu".