Kangen-sai

Held each year on June 17 according to the old calendar by Itsukushima-jinja Shrine, the Kangen-sai is the shrine's biggest festival and one of Japan's three greatest traditional boat festivals. During the Heian period, Japan's nobles enjoyed boat-related leisure and sports on ponds and lakes. The festival got its start when the shogun Taira no Kiyomori decided to hold a boat event at Itsukushima-jinja Shrine as a ritual to entertain the gods. During the event, the various festival boats are loaded with shintai, objects containing the spirits of gods. They then wait in the sea off of a boulder known as Hotate-iwa until the tide is high, then head towards Jigozen-jinja Shrine while playing traditional court music, celebrating and playing more music once they reach the beach in front of the shrine. They then do the same at Nagahama-jinja Shrine and then Omoto-jinja Shrine before returning to Itsukushima-jinja Shrine. The event continues from dusk until midnight, creating a picturesque sight as the boats travel the midsummer Seto Inland Sea.