Takengei (Wakamiya Inari Shrine's Autumn Festival)

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Takengei is a thrilling acrobatic display where two performers donning fox masks scale 10 meter high bamboo poles. It is a part of Wakamiya Inari Shrine’s Autumn Festival celebrations. The foxes, male and female, embody the spirits of Shrine deities playing merrily in a bamboo grove while enjoying the celebrations. They perform stunts and feats to the rhythm of traditional folk music playing in the background. Once at the top of the swaying bamboo poles, the foxes throw mochi rice cakes as the enthusiastic crowd scrambles to catch them. The performance concludes with the release of a live chicken.
Takengei traces its roots as far back as to the early 19th century when it was performed at Suwa shrine before it moved to Wakamiya Inari Shrine in 1896. It has been performed annually since, on October 14th and 15th each year with a few scheduled performances a day.

It has been listed as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

Information

Address 長崎県長崎市伊良林2-10-2 若宮稲荷神社
TEL 095-822-5270(若宮稲荷神社)
Dates October 14th - 15th *held on the same date each year

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