Hanazono Onda-mai is a rare and valuable traditional folk performing art that has been preserved for generations in the Yanase district of Hanazono, Katsuragi Town, Ito District, Wakayama Prefecture.
The tradition has been designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property since January 21, 1981. Deep in the mountains surrounding Mount Koya, the performance preserves an old Japanese agricultural ritual known as ta-asobi, in which the various stages of rice cultivation are symbolically recreated through songs, dances and dramatic performances.
Hanazono Onda-mai is much more than a traditional performance. It is a form of living faith closely connected with the lives of local people. By symbolically reenacting every stage of farming, the performers express gratitude for nature and pray for an abundant harvest, the prosperity of the community and peace throughout the year.
Hanazono Onda-mai is believed to have developed from the tradition of ta-asobi, agricultural rituals that are thought to have become established in Japan around the middle of the Heian period.
Ta-asobi is a form of ritual performance in which farming activities are symbolically carried out before the actual agricultural season begins. Rather than simply describing farming, the ritual expresses the hope that the same prosperity will occur in the real world.
Over its long history, Hanazono Onda-mai developed distinctive local characteristics. One of its most fascinating features is the survival of archaic words, expressions and movements believed to preserve elements of language and culture from the Kamakura and Muromachi periods.
For this reason, the performance is valuable not only as a religious and cultural tradition but also as a living historical record. Its songs and gestures provide clues to aspects of Japanese life and culture that have otherwise disappeared from everyday use.
In the past, Onda-mai was performed in several communities within the former Hanazono Village. The ceremonies could continue for several days and were sometimes performed throughout the night.
As lifestyles and communities changed, however, the scale of the tradition gradually became smaller. Today, the performance survives only in the Yanase district, where it is held every other year around the time of the traditional Lunar New Year.
The fact that this rare tradition has survived in a remote mountain community makes it an especially valuable part of Wakayama’s cultural heritage.
The ceremony begins early in the morning with a solemn purification ritual at Shimohanazono Shrine.
After cleansing themselves, the participants form a procession and make their way to Henjoji Temple’s Dainichido Hall. This procession, known as a sacred transfer or togyo, marks the transition from ordinary life into the ceremonial space.
The movement from the shrine to the hall also reflects the historical relationship between Shinto and Buddhism in Japanese religious culture. The ceremony begins with a strong sense of reverence and prepares the participants and audience for the sacred performance that follows.
In the afternoon, the main Onda-mai performance takes place at Dainichido Hall. A series of scenes symbolically represents the various stages of growing rice.
The performances include “Mawari-kuwa”, “Ta-uchi”, “Mizu-mukae”, “Ushi-yobi”, “Naeshiro”, “Ta-ue”, “Ta-kari” and “Momi-suri”.
These scenes represent activities such as preparing the fields, bringing water, working with cattle, raising seedlings, planting rice, harvesting and processing the grain.
Traditional songs and musical rhythms accompany the performances. Although the movements may appear simple, each action has symbolic meaning. Together, they create a vivid representation of the agricultural cycle and express people’s hopes for a successful harvest.
Hanazono Onda-mai includes numerous characters, each with a particular role in the agricultural scenes. Among them are Shirashirage, Kuroshirage, Muko, also known as Fukutaro, Waki-kuwa, Shiri-kuwa, Ta-ueko and Taiko-uchi.
The performers use distinctive movements and expressions to portray different aspects of traditional farming life. Some scenes feature humorous or lively movements, while the sound of drums and traditional singing gives the performance a strong rhythmic character.
The simplicity of the costumes and movements makes the performance particularly striking. Rather than relying on elaborate stage effects, Onda-mai draws its power from rhythm, symbolism and the accumulated history of the community.
At the heart of Hanazono Onda-mai is a prayer for fertility, prosperity and the well-being of the community.
For people living in a mountainous environment, agriculture has always depended heavily on weather, water and the natural environment. A successful harvest could not be taken for granted. Through Onda-mai, local people expressed their hopes for favorable conditions and gave thanks for the gifts of nature.
The tradition also reflects several important elements of Japanese spiritual culture, including reverence for nature, respect for ancestors and devotion to the divine and Buddhist worlds.
The performance brings members of the community together and provides an opportunity for different generations to share responsibility for preserving their heritage. In this sense, Hanazono Onda-mai continues to function as a living community tradition rather than simply an old performance preserved for display.
In modern Japan, fewer people have direct connections with rice farming and traditional agricultural life. Hanazono Onda-mai therefore offers a valuable opportunity to reconsider the relationship between people, agriculture and nature.
The performance reminds us that food production once involved a close relationship with the seasons, weather, water and the entire local community. Every stage of farming was accompanied by hope, effort and gratitude.
Its survival also demonstrates the importance of community-based cultural preservation. Local residents have continued to pass the tradition from generation to generation, protecting not only its movements and songs but also the beliefs and values behind them.
For visitors, experiencing Onda-mai can therefore be much more meaningful than simply watching a traditional dance. It offers a glimpse into a worldview in which farming itself was closely connected with prayer.
Hanazono Onda-mai is performed in a quiet mountain community deep in the area surrounding Mount Koya. The remote setting is an important part of its atmosphere.
Surrounded by forests and mountains, visitors can experience a traditional performance in an environment that has preserved much of the character of rural Japan. The sounds of drums and songs, combined with the solemn movements of the performers, create a distinctive atmosphere that is difficult to experience elsewhere.
For travelers interested in Japanese traditional culture, religion, agriculture, folk performing arts and rural landscapes, Hanazono Onda-mai offers a particularly memorable experience.
Today, Hanazono Onda-mai is held every other year around the traditional Lunar New Year, generally on a Sunday close to the eighth day of the first month of the traditional calendar.
Because the performance takes place only once every two years, visitors should check the schedule in advance before planning a trip. The mountain location also means that weather, temperatures and transportation conditions should be taken into consideration.
Warm clothing is particularly important during the winter season, and visitors should allow sufficient time for travel through the mountainous area.
Hanazono Onda-mai is an exceptional cultural heritage tradition that preserves an ancient vision of Japanese agricultural life. Through songs, drums, movements and symbolic farming scenes, the performers recreate the cycle of rice cultivation and express their hopes for an abundant harvest.
Its importance lies not only in its long history but also in the fact that it remains a living tradition supported by the local community. Ancient expressions, traditional movements and religious beliefs have survived together, creating a rare connection between the present and the distant past.
For travelers exploring the mountains around Mount Koya, this traditional performance provides an opportunity to encounter a quieter and deeply rooted side of Japanese culture. In the solemn setting of the mountain village, the simple acts of planting, cultivating and harvesting rice become a powerful expression of gratitude, prayer and hope.
If your journey coincides with the performance year, experiencing Hanazono Onda-mai is an opportunity to witness a remarkable tradition that has survived for centuries and continues to carry the prayers of a community into the future.