The Oyama Afuri jinja matsuri is a unique festival held on mount Oyama in the Tanzawa mountains in Kanagawa. Mount Oyama is 1,252 metres high and has long been regarded as a holy mountain and object of worship. A sacred Shinto mikoshi is carried from the Afuri jinja, which is located on the top of Mount Oyama, first to the lower shrine on the side of the mountain, and then on down to the shrine office at the very foot of the mountain; a distance of 8km.

The people carrying the mikoshi are dressed in all white Heian period (794 -1185) clothing and the attendants are dressed in various traditional Heian and Edo period dress. Traditional instruments accompany the procession.

The highlight of the event is watching as they ascend the steep slopes of Oyama and then on down the winding roads of the mountain town at the base. A traditional Shinto Kagura dance is performed and a special Oyama Noh performance is held in the evening.

Take the Oyama Cable Station-bound bus from the North Exit of Isehara Station on the Odakyu Line and get off at the last stop (30 minutes)

(video reported by Junpei)