Tourist Site of Hida City -Festival/“San-Tera” (Visiting Three Temples) Festival-


Festival　- Santera Mairi(three temples visit) -

Winter of Hida Furukawa January 15 Santera Mairi, Choosing for a bride With beautifully chignon hair, Visit the temples Santera Mairi is a traditional custom that has been continued for more than 200 years at Hida Furukawa. It is held annually on the night of January 15th and people visit three temples within the town, Enko Temple, Shinshu Temple and Honko Temple commemorating the graceful favors provided by the Monk, Shinran.

			■Winter Fantasy Candle lights making Flickering Shadow on the White Wall Hida Furukawa in Winter, Santera Mairi(three temples visit) held on January 15. The silence of a snowy mountain village is broken and the lively crowds fill the whole town. Long time ago, the young females had to walk over the Nomugi Pass to go to Shinshu to make money by threading. After they come back to the village, these females dressed up went on a pilgrimage by walking by the Seto River and had a romantic meeting with a man, which story was made to a Japanese ballad-type song at Hida Fukukawa. The festival became to be known that your wish for marriage would be fulfilled. Today, it is believed that there is a divine blessing for love and a lot of young people come to visit this festival.

On that day it snows, the “Yamato (Japanese)” candle, 80 cm (31.5 in.) in height made by the Mishima Store is lit at each temple. In addition, in the main street lines, the snow figure large candles over 2m (6.6 ft.) in height are lined up and 1000 flames of the candles shake beside the Seto River, which turns the town decorated with white snow into a fantasy world.


■ Highlight of Santera Mairi(three temples visit) (Around 3:00PM)
You can enjoy the lantern floating at the Seto River, warm drinks as “Oshiruko” (red beans soup) or “Amazake” (sweet sake – non-alcoholic) in Monzen Market, local specialty products and most of all, the feeling of charm of winter traveling of Hida Fukukawa.
	•	1000 candles
		When you wish for a romantic encounter or accomplishment, light a white candle and make your wish. It is a custom that if your wish cames true, you should come back on the following year and light a red candle.
	•	Snow Figure Candles
		The flame of the snow candles of 2m (6.6 ft.) snow candles placed in the main street makes the magnificent scene of light and shadow on the old town, that is covered with snow and produces a fantasy night with the snow and the light.
	•	Lantern Floating Wishes
		The lanterns are quietly floating on the Seto River surface creating a simple but sophisticated scene in the winter of Hida.
	•	Proof of Red Stamps for Visiting the Three Temples to Make a Wish
		To make a wish, people admire for the saint's blessing. People visit the three temples of Enko, Shinshu and Honko.
	•	Monzen Market
		Enjoy the country side gourmet and local products. Starting 3:00PM, we are waiting for you with a plenty of warm and delicious dishes.

■ Introduction of Three Temples
	•	Enko Temple
			The building style of Muromachi period remains in Enko Temple built next to the Seto River and the White Wall Storehouse street. The temple is famous for "Mizuyobi no Kame (Turtle bringing water)" that defended the temple from a large scale of fire called Furukawa Fire happened on 1904. It is also known for the temple gate which was reconstructed from the Masujima castle gate built by the warload, Arishige Kanamori.
	•	Shinshu Temple
			The sculpture of "Kirin (giraffe)", "Dragon" and "Turtle" made with the gold foil of the main temple and by the hand of “Takumi (the Master)” in Hida is splendid. The beauty of the temple is enhanced by the contrast with the red Kongu Bridge over the Araki River.
	•	Honko Temple
			The solemn temple has 14 rooms with 4 surfaces, and was built with only Japanese cypress. Its majestic main room acknowledged as the biggest piece of wooden architecture in Hida. It is also worth visiting the Heisei temple gate showing the techniques of “Takumi (the Master)” in Hida and the fence of the temple that the factory girls contributed during the Meiji era.