Hometown Hieda (held on December 31, 2022) - Bringing smiles to many people through the wonderful energy of human thoughts.

On December 31, 2022 (New Year's Eve), "Furusato Hieda" was held at Hieda Hachiman Shrine in Kojima, Kurashiki City.

In addition to the New Year's Eve Festival and soba noodles served for the New Year, a large-scale aerial drone show, a sword dance event, and a special New Year's program by Kurashiki Cable Television were broadcast, welcoming the New Year with great success.

Hieda Hachiman Shrine, which is also the deity of the author.

Wishing for the excitement of the hometown to be passed down in the future, I will introduce the beginning of the New Year 2023, "Furusato Hieda."

What is "Furusato Hieda"?

At "Furusato Hieda," held from New Year's Eve 2022 to the New Year 2023, various events began with the New Year's Eve Festival.

New Year's Eve Festival

From New Year's Eve, December 31, 2022, to the New Year, the New Year's Eve Festival was held at the main hall of Hieda Hachiman Shrine by Chief Priest Yasuyo Urakawa.

Serving of New Year's Soba

Continuing from 2022, the youth group of Hieda Hachiman Shrine served free New Year's soba to 300 people.

The New Year's soba enjoyed in the cold is exceptional.

We also received the feelings of the youth group serving the soba.

▼The served New Year's soba. The sweet fried tofu and green onions are delicious.

Aerial Drone Show

From New Year's Eve, December 31, 2022, to the New Year, the "New Year Countdown Aerial Drone Show" was held.

The show was the largest scale in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, and I was looking forward to it.

I think it is difficult to convey the atmosphere of the drone show through photos, but I hope you can feel it.

Each of the 200 drones changed into various colors and created various displays in the night sky to the music, providing a mysterious experience I had never encountered before.

It starts with the characters "Furusato Hieda".

Sword Dance Performance

The finale of "Furusato Hieda" was the sword dance "Okamuzumi" by Katsunori Goto, an actor and director from Kurashiki City.

It is a sword dance that combines dance, visuals, and music.

According to Goto, "To perform with strong feelings in one performance, it is physically demanding, and it is difficult to perform multiple times in one day."

Please feel the strong emotions from Goto's expressions as well.

Greeting from Chief Priest Urakawa

I will introduce the New Year's greeting by Chief Priest Urakawa that was broadcast on the special program by Kurashiki Cable Television.

You can feel the chief priest's thoughts that the recent excitement of Hieda Hachiman Shrine is "the wonderful energy of many people who think of their hometown, wanting to make many people smile."

Everyone, Happy New Year. I pray that this year will be a better year for all of you, from Hieda Hachiman Shrine.

At our Hieda Hachiman Shrine, a very grand fireworks festival was held last summer.
This New Year, there will be an aerial drone show, and local volunteers will serve soba and sweets. Also, a special stage will be set up in the precincts of Hieda Hachiman Shrine for the auspicious sword dance performance.

Such activities that can make many people smile are possible because of the feelings of the people who love their hometown Hieda. There is wonderful energy in people's feelings.

It is easy to focus on dark news such as COVID-19, wars, and natural disasters, but let us believe in the wonderful energy of people's feelings and work together to make this year a good one.

Everyone, please visit your local deity. I wish you all health and happiness.

KCT Special Program: Year End and Year Beginning - Kojima Hieda Hachiman Shrine

Conclusion

I have been curious about the excitement of Hieda Hachiman Shrine over the past year.

On New Year's Eve of 2021, soba noodles and sword dances were served.

In the summer of 2022, a fireworks festival was also held.

From the greeting of the chief priest Urakawa, I was able to learn once again that activities that can bring smiles to many people are realized through the thoughts of those who love their hometown.

I still remember the expression on my daughter's face as she happily ate the New Year's soba.

Perhaps my daughter will remember the warm New Year's soba that she could enjoy in her hometown every New Year's Eve.

On the other hand, I have heard that Chief Priest Urakawa is managing five shrines, and that the officials of Hieda Hachiman Shrine are also aging.

In order for this kind of hometown excitement to be passed on in the future, I cannot help but wish that the thoughts of those who love their hometown will spread and connect even more.

For each hometown across Japan to be passed on, "for the first shrine visit of the year, let's definitely visit the local guardian deity, the ujigami!"

I am sure we will have a good year.

Finally, I would like to introduce the special program by Kurashiki Cable Television, "Year-End and New Year - Kojima and Hieda Hachiman Shrine -".

Enjoy the drone show and sword dance in the video.

Data of Hometown Hieda

Name	Hometown Hieda
Location	Hieda Hachiman Shrine, 1668 Kojima Hieda-cho, Kurashiki City

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