In the Edo Period, after Wakebe (a feudal load) came in, Omizo has developed as a castle town.
Omizo Festival was successed as Hikiyama festival by economic power and spirit of merchants in the castle town.
It has been handed down over 300 years since then.
The gorgeous Hikiyama parade showed that it prospered economically of the castle town at that time.
5 Hikiyama known as Minato, Tomoe, Takara, Isami, and Ryu from Katsuno.
These Hikiyama have a gorgeously decoration as Tenmaku, Doumaku and Miokurimaku. Each Hikiyama has a quaint decoration.
The highlight of Yoimiya (the eve of the festival) is parade the town with lanterns on each Hikiyama.
Parading Hikiyama is annually defined in order. The top is called “Hanayama”, and in the following it is called Nibanyama, Sanbanyama, Yonbanyama, and Gobanyama.
In 1983, Omizo Festival registered as an Select Intangible Folk Cultural Asset for Shiga Prefecture.
《Omizo Festival Procession Route》