F E S T I V A L ／ FEST-120
weird
Miyakojima Paantu (Shimajiri)
宮古島のパーントゥ（島尻）みやこじまのぱーんとぅ（しまじり）
D A T E2026-10-01
A visiting-deity ritual held in the Shimajiri district of Hirara, Miyakojima City, on an auspicious day in the early ninth lunar month. Young men become 'paantu' visiting deities, covered head to toe in vines and sacred mud and wearing masks, and move through the village smearing mud on people and houses to ward off misfortune. It is a component of the nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property 'Raiho-shin: Ritual visits of deities in masks and costumes' (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage).
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01Designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property (1993)
- 02Component of the UNESCO ICH 'Raiho-shin' element
- 03Paantu covered in sacred mud roam the village to drive off ills
- 04Smearing mud onto new cars, new houses, and infants is believed to bestow blessings
- 05Visitor etiquette is a sensitive issue — strict adherence to local rules is required
D E E P D I V E