Kotohira Ohtori Shrine Tori No Ichi Festival 2025

This festival is held toward the end of each year at Kotohira Ohtori Shrine, where the deity of prosperous business is worshipped. In the past, it was apparently a festival reserved exclusively for the samurai class. However, the strong faith of merchants and residents of the geisha district in this deity of good luck and protection helped transform the Tori No Ichi fair into a lively event each November. The festival takes place every twelfth day, so in some years, it is held two or even three times. Most of the outdoor stalls sell kumade -rake-shaped good luck charms - accompanied by the sound of rhythmic clapping. The vibrant atmosphere serves as a cheerful reminder of the arrival of winter. On November 1, 1991, the festival was officially designated as an intangible cultural asset.