Four Seasons in Japan: 2013 Soma Nomaoi Festival (2)

Three shrines and five former villages in the Soma area take part in the festival.
At the festival, crossing in front of the procession and watching the procession from above are regarded as rude behavior.

Many of armored horseback riders are the descendants of samurai families of the Soma Domain. Men aged 3 to 85 can take part in the festival's parade. Women under 20 years old can participate in the festival including its armor horse races.

the first day of the festival:

At Soma Nakamura Shrine, a Shinto ritual is held to pray for the safety of horen(鳳輦) during the procession. Horen is a portable shrine ornamented on top with a miniature of a golden phoenix.

A kick-off ceremony is held at the shrine. The supreme commander in armor arrives at the shrine. Armored participants from former Uda-go village(present-day Nakamura area in Soma City) greet him.

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

They empty their cups, and sing a war song.

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

The supreme commander reviews the troops. A member of the Some family carries out his duty as the supreme commander.
He is a descendant of the feudal lords of the former Soma Domain.

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

Armored Uda-go participants and horen(portable shrine) go in procession through the city streets to Hibarigahara.

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

The procession starts at the sound of trumpet shells and drums.

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追御発輦祭（相馬中村神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・;出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr

2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

The supreme commander wears a red mantle called horo to prevent stray arrows from behind. Soma Mayor served as the supreme commander in place of the Soma family's member in 2012.

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flicr

2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

Horen (imperial carriage)

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr

2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr

相馬野馬追：御発輦祭・出陣式・宇多郷行列・宵乗競馬 by jetalone /flickr
2012

The procession joins participants from former Kita-go village(present-day Kashima Ward in Minamisoma City) on its way.

Participants from former Nakano-go village(present-day Haramachi Ward in Minamisoma City) take their departure from Ota Shrine, and go in procession through the city streets to Hibarigahara.

Participants from former Odaka-go village(present-day Odaka Ward in Minamisoma City) and former Shineha-go village(present-day Namie, Futaba, Okuma towns in Futaba-gun) take their departure from Odaka Shrine, and go in procession through the city streets to Hibarigahara.

Odaka Shrine

相馬野馬追標葉郷出陣・小高郷御発輿（小高神社） Soma-Nomaoi Festival 2013 by jetalone /flickr

portable shrines are moved to Otabisho at the Asahi Park from the three shrines.

Horse races(yoinori-keiba) start around 2 p.m. The sound of trumpet shells signals the start of a race. This year 12 eight-horse races were held. It's a workout in preparation for the next day's real races.