Hittaka

Hittaka: A Spectacular Lantern Fire Festival Rooted in the Genpei War

In the quiet fishing district of Kanaura in Kasaoka City, Okayama Prefecture, an extraordinary fire festival called "Hittaka" (ひったか) lights up the mountainsides each year around the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. Hundreds of paper lanterns are hung on massive wooden frames erected on two opposing hillsides, creating luminous pictorial designs that float in the night sky above the town. This breathtaking tradition traces its origins to the Genpei War of the late 12th century and has been designated as a nationally selected intangible folk cultural property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, as well as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kasaoka City.

Historical Background

The origins of Hittaka are said to date back to the year 1184 (Juei 3), during the turbulent Genpei War between the Taira (Heike) and Minamoto (Genji) clans. According to local tradition, after the Taira forces were defeated at the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani, a Taira commander named Taira no Michimori retreated to Suyama Castle (near present-day Gyōja-yama) in the Kanaura area to regroup his forces. When a large Minamoto naval fleet of over 30 warships and 2,000 warriors attacked from the sea, the outnumbered Taira forces lit bonfires across the surrounding mountains to create the illusion of a vast army, successfully deceiving the enemy into retreating.

The name "Hittaka" is believed to derive from the phrase "hi wo takaku taku" (火を高く焚く), meaning "to light fires high," which over time was shortened and corrupted into "Hittaka." In earlier centuries, the event involved participants on two mountains lighting torches and even engaging in stone-throwing battles to capture prisoners. By the early Edo period, the practice evolved into a competition involving the seizure of flags bearing general's names (red for Taira, white for Minamoto). Eventually, the festival took on its present, more peaceful form using paper lanterns.

Why Hittaka Is Designated as a Cultural Property

Hittaka was designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Kasaoka City in 1974 (Showa 49), and in 1976 (Showa 51), it was selected by the national Agency for Cultural Affairs as an intangible folk cultural property requiring documentation and preservation measures. The festival is valued for several reasons. It preserves a rare form of fire-festival art in which pictorial designs are created using hundreds of lanterns—a practice found almost nowhere else in Japan. Additionally, it maintains a living connection to the Genpei War legends that shaped the cultural identity of the Seto Inland Sea region. The event also sustains community bonds in the Kanaura district through the collaborative effort required to plan, build, and display the lantern frames each year. The preservation society "Hittaka-Oshiguranго Hozonkai" serves as the custodian of this tradition, ensuring its transmission to future generations.

Highlights and What to See

The Lantern Displays

The centerpiece of Hittaka is the lantern art displayed on two mountains flanking the Yoshida River. On the east side, Gyōja-yama represents the Genji (Minamoto) faction and flies white banners, while on the west, Myōken-yama represents the Heike (Taira) faction and flies red banners. On each mountain, a wooden frame measuring approximately 10 meters square is erected, and 300 to 400 paper lanterns are hung within it to create pictorial designs. The subjects of the designs are kept secret until the night of the festival and typically reflect current events or popular topics of the year.

The Atmosphere

As darkness falls, the lanterns are lit simultaneously, and the glowing pictures emerge on the mountainsides to the delight of spectators gathered along the riverbanks and streets below. Food stalls line the streets of Kanaura, creating a lively festival atmosphere. The lantern displays can even be seen from the nearby National Route 2 (Kanaura Bridge) and from the JR Sanyo Main Line as trains pass through the area.

Oshiguranго (Boat Racing)

Hittaka is traditionally paired with a companion event called "Oshiguranго" (おしぐらんご), a boat-racing festival held on the following day. Two traditional wooden boats, each crewed by six rowers, race across Kanaura Bay, with one boat representing the Genji and the other the Heike. The name "Oshiguranго" combines "osu" (to push/row an oar) with "guranго" (a local dialectal term for a running race). This companion event was revived in 1987 after a period of discontinuation caused by the decline in the local fishing population.

Children's Hittaka

Local elementary and junior high school students also participate by creating their own smaller lantern displays, known as "Kodomo Hittaka" (Children's Hittaka), performed at the same venue on the same evening.

Visitor Information

Hittaka is held on the Saturday evening closest to the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar, which typically falls in late May or early June. The lantern lighting usually begins around 7:00–7:30 PM. Oshiguranго takes place the following Sunday morning, starting around 8:30 AM in Kanaura Bay.

The nearest train station is JR Kasaoka Station on the Sanyo Main Line, from which the Kanaura district is approximately 1.5 km west along National Route 2. Buses from Kasaoka Station bound for Fukuyama (via Tsubō) or Ibara (via Kanaura) stop at "Kanaura-guchi" or "Nishihama (Yōsuna)." Note that on festival days, bus service may be limited to mornings only. Temporary parking is available at the former vocational training school site (Kasaoka City Kanaura 50-3).

Surrounding Attractions

The Kanaura district itself is a charming area with remnants of its prosperous past as a fishing and maritime commerce port, featuring narrow lanes and traditional townhouses dating back to the Edo period. The district was used as a filming location for the television drama "Tonbi." Nearby, Kasaoka City offers the Kasaoka Islands, an archipelago in the Seto Inland Sea accessible by ferry, with highlights including Kitagi Island (known for its stone quarries and dramatic cliff views) and Manabe Island (famous for its running mikoshi festival). The Kasaoka Bay Reclaimed Land area features a dinosaur park and the Kasaoka Municipal Horseshoe Crab Museum. The famous Kasaoka Ramen, distinguished by its chicken-based broth and soy-simmered chicken chashu, is a must-try local specialty.