To be proud of the "tradition"

Shigaraki Ceramics Festival In late July, over l00,000 people crowd at the "Shigaraki Ceramics Festival". The opening festivity starts at the Ceramics Shrine at Atagoyama Mountain, followed by many events that last for three days. Tha Grand Shigaraki Ceramics Exihibition where you can see all variety of the Shigaraki-yaki. The Exhibition and Spot Sale that attracts the visitors. Spirit-stirring Fire Festival where torches are dedicated to the Ceramics Shrine at Atagoyama Mountain. Fireworks that draw huge flowers in the night sky. Most of the townspeople dance around the scaffold at So-Odori, the Grand Dance.

Drum Dance On September 4 in the lingering summer heat, the Drum Dance is held at Higumo Shrine. This was originally a rain dance. The crew includes l4 drummers, l0 rhythm callers and l neophyte. They begin dancing at Kashima Shrine called the lower shrine (travel shrine) and then proceed to Higumo Shrine calIed the upper shrine（main shrine). Marching along the drummers dance beating their drums in the rhythm called by the callers around the bonfire. It is a simple dance with a lot of repetition. The dance continues well into the night illuminated by the bonfire in the total tranquility.