Bridegroom Throwing in Matsunoyama Onsen
Someone once told me that the best festivals in Japan are the ones that are on a fixed date every year. These are the ones with long histories that are still going in the present day, as opposed to a weekend event for the tourists. January 15th each year is the Matsunoyama Mukonage, or Bridegroom Throwing. It has over 300 years of history, and is a small local festival full of charm. Newly wed grooms are paraded through the streets on the shoulders of their companions, carrie