Sanno Festival

The Sanno Festival, the annual grand festival of Niibo Hiyoshi Shrine in the Niibo area of Sado City, is one of the region’s most important traditional events. With a history spanning approximately 800 years, the festival is believed to have originated in the 13th century and is held over three days each April. It is conducted jointly by six local settlements – Kaminiibo, Shimoniibo, Niibokitagata, Niibo, Baba, and Sankyo – and has been designated a Prefectural Intangible Folk Cultural Property for its preservation of traditional ritual practices.

The central feature of the festival is the gathering of seven portable shrines (mikoshi) representing the Seven Sanno Shrines, which assemble at the worship hall of Niibo Hiyoshi Shrine. Performances of onidaiko (demon drums) from Hiyoshi Shrines in the Inai, Funashimo, Ono, and Niibo districts are conducted throughout the festival, contributing to its ceremonial atmosphere and reinforcing ties among the participating communities.

Niibo Hiyoshi Shrine is traditionally said to be modeled after Hiyoshi Taisha in Sakamoto, Otsu City, the head shrine of the Sanno cult. The shrine’s origins are traced to 1226, when it was established as the Hiyoshi Shrine of Kaminiibo and built as a shared sanctuary enshrining the First and Second deities of the Seven Sanno Shrines. Historical documents indicate that rituals such as yabusame (mounted archery) and mikoshi processions were already practiced by the mid-16th century. The shrine also preserves traces of pre–Meiji period Shinto-Buddhist syncretism, including the historical involvement of Buddhist clergy in shrine rituals, giving it particular academic and cultural significance.

On the festival’s final day, a series of ritual offerings takes place within the shrine grounds. These include yabusame, performed by young archers on horseback, onidaiko performances, and sagariha rituals carried out by children. The appearance of harukoma, a traditional folk song and dance, further distinguishes the concluding ceremonies. Together, these elements reflect ritual forms that have been handed down over generations.