F E S T I V A L ／ FEST-133
weird
Ryōzan-ji Gohō Festival (Gōsama)
両山寺護法祭（ゴーサマ）りょうざんじごほうさい（ごーさま）
D A T E2026-08-14
A possession rite fusing Shugendō and Shingon esoteric Buddhism, held late at night on August 14 each year at Ryōzan-ji Temple in Misaki Town, Kume District, Okayama Prefecture. The 'gohō-zane' — a young man purified through a week of abstinence (the 'Gōsama') — is possessed by the protective deity Gohō-zenjin and races and leaps through the dark mountain temple precinct. Those whose abstinence has been insufficient are said to die within three years if caught, so worshippers flee from the possessed deity — a uniquely structured rite. An Okayama Prefecture Designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
N O P H O T O
H I G H L I G H T S
Highlights
- 01Okayama Prefecture Designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property
- 02A rare rite in which Gohō-zenjin possesses the 'gohō-zane'
- 03Racing and leaping through the mountain temple precinct in the dead of night
- 04Unique structure in which worshippers flee from the possessed deity
- 05Rooted in the Mt. Futakami mountain belief that fuses Shugendō and Shingon
D E E P D I V E