Complete guide to the highlights of the Chigo Procession (Onzo Sai) at Atsuta Shrine

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The Onzo Sai festival at Atsuta Shrine is a ceremony where offerings of silk and linen garments are made to the deity. It takes place at the Honden. After the offered garments arrive at the East Gate, about 300 people form a splendid procession and advance to the Honden. During this procession, children can participate in the Chigo procession at the end. This article will introduce the experience of actually participating in the Chigo procession at Atsuta Shrine.

For a comprehensive overview of the entire Atsuta Shrine, please refer to 「Highlights and access methods of Atsuta Shrine (Aichi Prefecture)」.

(Last modified: 2024-01-27)

Chigo Procession (2019 edition)

The 2019 Chigo Procession (Onzo Sai festival) was held on May 13th. The application for the procession started on April 1st, so I went to the office of Atsuta Shrine on that day to apply.

On the day of the event, I went to the Bunkaden Auditorium (the same building as the Treasure Museum, but the entrance is on the south side) for registration, and then entered the hall. First, I exchanged my ticket for a costume. Note that the 'shigoki belt' is not included. If needed, you should bring your own or rent one for a fee on the day.

Next, makeup is applied. Makeup artists are available at the venue, but their numbers are limited, so you may have to wait your turn when it gets busy.

Once the makeup is done, I changed into the costume. The dressing is done by oneself. I rented a shigoki belt for a fee on the day.

Originally, participants are supposed to wear something like a crown on their head, but it is very difficult to fix it in place properly. Some families managed to do it well, while others gave up early. We decided to give up.

When it was time, we moved to the designated location, which was around the East Gate. The Chigo procession isn’t something done alone; about 300 people participate, and we joined the procession near the end. Below is a photo I took near the front of the procession around the third torii gate.

The procession entered the Honden in order and sat in the designated seats. Then, the Onzo Sai festival was held inside the Honden for about an hour. After participating with the children, the procession was dismissed. Afterwards, we returned to the original location to change back into our clothes and return the costume.

The 2019 procession was on a clear day, and it was a great experience to be able to participate.

Chigo Procession (2018 edition)

The 2018 Chigo Procession (Onzo Sai festival) was held on May 13th. I went to Atsuta Shrine to apply on the application date, April 1st.

On the day of the Chigo Procession, it was raining heavily, so I thought it might be canceled. However, it was decided that the procession would not take place, but participation in the Onzo Sai festival was still possible. We gathered at the meeting place, where makeup was first applied to our faces.

After wearing the provided costume, we put on hair ornaments. Although we needed to dress ourselves in the costume, which was a bit challenging, some kind volunteers appeared to help, which was a relief.

Next, we tried to put on the crowns, but no matter how many times we tried, they kept rolling off and falling. I noticed many other families also struggling with the same issue. In the end, we decided to give up.

There were an incredible number of participating families, and a long queue had formed for the makeup service. It's advisable to arrive early, as there might not be enough time otherwise.

When the time came, we were originally supposed to head to the Honden in a procession with many others. However, due to the heavy rain, the procession was cancelled, so everyone made their way to the Honden individually. The sight of many little participants walking was quite beautiful.

We entered the Hongu and participated in the Onzo Sai festival. Photography was prohibited, so I have no photos, but we were there among the many other children and attendees for about an hour. Despite the unfortunate heavy rain, it was a good experience.

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