Chagu Chagu Umakko
チャグチャグ馬コChagu Chagu Umakko is one of the most visually arresting processions in Japan: a column of decorated horses, draped in elaborate, brilliantly colored regalia and hung with small bells, walking fifteen kilometers from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine. The name is onomatopoeic, imitating the chiming sound of the bells that adorn the horses' trappings as they walk, a gentle, rhythmic tinkling that gives the procession a soundscape as distinctive as its visual spectacle. Designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, the festival celebrates the bond between the farming communities of the Iwate interior and the horses that were, for centuries, their most valued partners in the work of cultivation.
The procession typically includes around one hundred horses, each decorated by its owner in a tradition that transforms working animals into ambulatory works of art. The regalia, which can weigh over thirty kilograms, includes layered textiles in red, gold, green, and purple, elaborate headpieces, chest ornaments, and the signature clusters of small bells whose collective sound gives the festival its name. Children in traditional dress ride many of the horses, their presence reinforcing the festival's character as a family and community celebration rather than a performance for outsiders.
The route from Takizawa to Morioka follows roads that pass through rice paddies, residential neighborhoods, and urban streets, the contrast between the archaic splendor of the procession and the contemporary landscape it traverses creating a visual dialogue between past and present that is both charming and poignant. The horses walk at a deliberate pace, and spectators can follow the column or position themselves at scenic points along the route to watch the procession pass.
Chagu Chagu Umakko is one of the most visually arresting processions in Japan: a column of decorated horses, draped in elaborate, brilliantly colored regalia and hung with small bells, walking fifteen kilometers from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.
History & Significance
Horses have occupied a central place in Iwate's agricultural and cultural life for over a millennium. The Nanbu region, encompassing much of present-day Iwate, was historically one of Japan's premier horse-breeding areas, and the Nanbu horse, a sturdy, sure-footed breed adapted to the northern mountains, was prized by samurai and farmers alike. The relationship between farmer and horse in this region was not merely economic but emotional; the magariya farmhouses of the Tono basin, designed to shelter both family and horses under one roof, express architecturally the closeness of the bond. Chagu Chagu Umakko originated as a ritual of gratitude, a day when working horses were relieved of their labor, bathed, decorated, and paraded to the shrine to receive blessings for their health and continued service.
The festival's roots are traced to the early Edo period, though the practice of honoring agricultural horses almost certainly predates any documented record. As mechanized farming replaced horse power in the postwar decades, the festival's meaning shifted from practical gratitude to cultural preservation, a determination to honor the animal that built the agricultural prosperity of the region. The horses that participate today are maintained specifically for ceremonial and recreational purposes, their care and decoration reflecting a community investment that ensures the tradition's continuity.
What to Expect
The procession departs Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in the morning, typically around 9:30 AM, and arrives at Morioka Hachimangu Shrine in the early afternoon. The fifteen-kilometer journey takes approximately four hours, the pace set by the horses' unhurried walk. Along the route, the spectacle unfolds in a continuous stream of color and sound: each horse's regalia is unique, reflecting the taste and resources of its owner, and the variety of designs, from traditional geometric patterns to more whimsical arrangements, gives the procession a visual richness that rewards sustained attention.
The most popular viewing points are the departure at Onikoshi Sozen Shrine, where all the horses gather before setting off, and the arrival at Morioka Hachimangu, where the animals are received with ceremony. Along the route, the section that passes through the open countryside between Takizawa and Morioka offers particularly photogenic compositions, the decorated horses moving through green rice paddies with the mountains of the Ou range as a backdrop.
At Morioka Hachimangu, the arrival of the horses is accompanied by taiko drumming, traditional music, and food stalls that give the conclusion a festive atmosphere. The horses are available for close viewing and photography, and their handlers are typically happy to explain the significance of the various elements of their regalia. The festival coincides with the early rice-planting season, and the surrounding paddies, freshly flooded and reflecting the sky, add their own beauty to the setting.
