Sueyoshi Sumiyoshi Shrine Yabusame | Soo
Celebration
Sueyoshi Shrine is the site of one of the three major yūbō (horseback archery) festivals in Kagoshima Prefecture (the other two being the Forty-Nine Shrines in Oyama City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Ōnimochi Shrine in Fukiage, Hioki Prefecture). According to the *Sankoku Meishoshi* (Records of Famous Places in the Three Kingdoms), the yūbō festival at Sueyoshi Shrine existed as early as the mid-19th century, but its exact history is unknown. The festival is held during the autumn harvest celebrations. The specific date is November 19th, but it is now November 23rd (Labor Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday). This event is held to pray for national prosperity and a bountiful harvest. It is said that the more arrows hit the target, the better the harvest will be the following year.
In 1981, the Sueyoshi Shrine yūbō festival was designated a prefectural intangible folk cultural property. On the day of the festival, the shrine ceremony begins around 1 PM, and the main ceremony begins around 2 PM.
Three targets, approximately 250 meters (273 yards) long, were placed on either side of the road leading to the shrine. This valiant ceremony involved archers on horseback shooting arrows from the shrine entrance towards the shrine. The archers' attire resembled that of hunters from the early 13th century, according to legend. Inside the shrine, martial arts competitions were also held, and spectators could sample konjac, amazake (sweet, mild sake), and other harvest festival dishes.