Warai Matsuri: The giggle gala of Japan!
What do you do at festivals? You sing, dance and, most importantly, you laugh! What if we told you there’s a festival dedicated solely to laughing? You’d be thrilled and probably amused too, right? So, get ready to learn all about Japan’s laughing festival! It is, without a doubt, entertaining. The festival, known as Warai Matsuri, is held on the second Sunday of October every year. During the laughing festival, you can see people wearing joker costumes and breaking into fits of laughter. The reason for this festival’s celebration is as interesting as the festival itself, and the rituals are even more amazing.
The legend of Niutsuhime-No-Kimoto
The origin of Warai Matsuri dates back to the mythological times of gods and goddesses in Japan. It is based on the legend of the goddess Niutsuhime-No-Kimoto. According to the legend, once upon a night, the goddess overslept and arrived late at a god’s gathering. The other gods in the gathering mocked at her. Grieved by their behaviour, she locked herself in the Niu Shrine located in Wakayama district. To cheer her up, the villagers gathered around the shrine and began laughing together. Their smiles and laughter brought back the goddess’s joy, and she returned home. This story has led people to believe that a smile can ward off evil and bring good fortune. For centuries, people of the Hidaka district, Tokyo, have celebrated this festival to laugh away their sorrows and attract good fortune.
A procession of laughter
The festival’s highlight is a short pilgrimage through the four towns of the Hidaka district which are Ekawa, Matsuse, Sanya and Wasa. The festival’s leader, dressed as a clown, can be seen leading the participants to the Niu shrine. Once everyone reaches the shrine, participants from the towns of Ekawa, Matsuse, Sanya and Wasa demonstrate their abilities.
Snapshots of the procession
The participants perform traditional dances while carrying portable shrines. Shishimai, or lion dances are performed, along with other folk dances such as Suzume and Yako Odori. You can also see people performing bamboo banner balancing called the Nobori Sashi. Cheers, laughter and celebrations from the audience also accompany the procession among other events.
The festival’s leader is known as the ‘Bell Ringer’. He paints his face white, dresses in flashy clothes and repeatedly says ‘laugh!’ The procession also includes Mikoshi (festival cars) from each of the four participating districts. A procession of over 500 people walks for about 1 km. Throughout the procession, you can hear the chants, ‘laugh laugh, laugh!’
Sometimes you’ll see someone deviate from the path to jump into a river! Yes, the pilgrimage is full of amusing incidents that make you laugh. At one point, you might find the bell ringer to be passing out from exhaustion but still keeps screaming and laughing the entire way. The ceremony concludes when the procession returns to the shrine. Each of the four regions performs its own set of traditional dances. During the closing ceremony, flags are raised in honour of the deity. More chants of ‘laugh, laugh!’ can be heard, signalling the end of the joyful and soulful festival of laughter.