Mikuni Festival In The Last Edo Era
"From Record of Daimon-cho"

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In the late Edo era, people carrying about festival cars of the cheerful festival (Mikuni festival) were young men, and doll warriors of festival cars were planed at their suggestion, too.

According to "Record of Daimon-cho(Daimon district)", Daimon-cho showed "Gen-Zanmi-Yorimasa" in 1814, which is a doll warrior, 3 meter 45 centimeter high. This appearance is the following.

"In this year, these doll warriors planing by other districts are very good, but our district "Gen-Zanmi-Yorimasa" is much more wonderful than theirs before."

"Record about Daimon-cho" also recorded dolls high from 1839 to 1867. Their average was about 4 meter 43 centimeter high. And the doll warrior maker was Nurishiya Shinshichi or Konya Buemon.

Daimon-cho showed a doll warrior every two years. For example, "Cyushingura(a loyal subject) of Bannai Sagisaka", "Ranmaru Mori (a page of Nobunaga Oda)", "Sadatou Abe (a subject matter of Kabuki "Osyu-adachihara") ", "Watounai (a subject matter of Kabuki "Kokusyo-okinagassen"), "Tajikaraono-mikoto (a character of "Kojiki")", "Syosetu Yui (a strategist)", "A picture of Yujyo (a prostitute) Umegae's wish", "Naginatahoko-yama (a long handle sword)" and so on.

By the way, the record described supply of per two heads who carried festival cars, it was 15g of silver in 1824. And there were festival cars (float) in this time.

At that time, the lord of clan often visited Mikuni the round of opportunities. According to "The Record of visiting Mikuni shrine since Manen(about 1860)" which owned by Mikuni shrine, a lord visited in April,1860, Ooku-jyocyu (assistants of the Imperial Court) visited in 1863, old ladies and jyocyu (with the Imperial Court) visited in May and June, 1864 . And Prime Minister Syungaku Matsudaira visited this place in July, 1865 .

All the townspeople made plans for Mikuni festival as the most important event. Town headmen looked after that and took charge of expenditures of income and outgo. And Young men were taken the work of planning doll warriors, or workmen were requested making doll warriors by them, too. It was the most important thing which doll warriors were of good or bad workmanship (doll warriors) in that year. Each district was strongly conscious with the rumor of spectator, they expected much more visitor going to the festival.

We will be able to see from this record that they desired to be prosperity of economy of the town.

We got permission from editing responsibility of Mikuni town office about the reprinting of this article on February 2, 1998.