Shinjo Matsuri: Community Revitalization through the Construction and Circulation of Decorated Floats

Abstract

Shinjo Matsuri in Yamagata prefecture is a 250-year old summer festival recognized as one of the nationally designated Important Folk and Cultural Properties. Besides the procession of a mikoshi from Tenman shrine, 20 decorated floats circulate through the city for two days, by collaboration between the people in the town and farm areas. Characteristically, as the local lord Tozawa allowed people to design the float as they liked at the beginning of the festival, groups of young people in each area still design, finance and construct the float by themselves without any institution’s nor profession’s help. This paper aims to explain how the construction and the spatial assignment of the float work to sustain the community bond between generations and define its local identity in the whole city. Especially, I would like to discuss how people interpret the idea of furyu in enhancing their well-being in the community by creating the extraordinary socio-symbolical space, and by accommodating the festival to the social change.