Updated:January 19, 2018

Mayor's comment on designation of "Yoshii-No-Shishi-Uchi-Gyoji" as a "Nationally Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property"

January 19, 2018

Today, to the Council for Cultural Affairs in the Japanese Government a report was submitted regarding "Yoshii-No-Shishi-Uchi-Gyoji (boar shooting ritual in Yoshii)" handed down in Yoshii area of Sasebo City. The report suggests that the "Shishi-Uchi Gyoji" should be designated as "Nationally Selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property", because it was judged newly as an "Intangible Folk Cultural Property that deserves documentation".

　"Yoshii-No-Shishi-Uchi-Gyoji" has been handed down in Yoshii area as a festival to pray for protecting crops from harmful animals including boars and for a huge harvest. It has been designated as a Cultural Property called "Shishigami Matsuri (divine-boar festival) by Sasebo City. In this festival, they perform to shoot a "boar" made by "Shitogi-mochi(rice)" with arrow then grill and eat it, which makes us imagine that ancient people were living robustly. The Council highly evaluated this performance as quite precious for reference of cultural lineage in our country because it served well to convey the characteristics of ritually hunting events in west Japan.

　Folk Cultural Properties refer to what large and small festivals and events in local communities which have been handed down carefully from ancient period to today. They have been closely related to local lives so far and has played an important role to solidify the bond of the people. Recently some of them are, however, losing its original style and in danger of extinction influenced by rapid change of social environment including declining the birthrate and aging population.

　The National selection of this time has intention to preserve and inherit those in danger of losing, as precious cultural properties worthy of being handed on to future generations by documentation, which can contribute to preserve and hand over the cultural property in Yoshii. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Cultural Agency, the Council for Cultural Affairs for their valuation of "Yoshii-No-Shishi-Uchi-Gyoji", and to the whole local residents including those of the preservation society of "Shishigami Matsuri" for their understanding and cooperation for our research.

　As a precious cultural property testifying Japanese history, and as a regional treasure in Sasebo, "Yoshii-No-Shishi-Uchi-Gyoji" should be handed to the posterity by proper documentation to be shown widely to people in Sasebo and in Japan. To do so, Sasebo City would like to make a full effort. I would like to appreciate you citizens if you could kindly continue to understand and cooperate with our cultural property protection activities. 

Norio Tomonaga
Mayor of Sasebo