At Sangenjaya, the annual Yamaguchi Prefecture Product Fair “Yamaguchi Happiness Festa 2025” was held once again this year, featuring as its main attraction the Jorō Dōchū Procession, staged on Sunday, September 14.
The “Jorō Dōchū” is said to have originated with the court ladies of the defeated Taira clan who survived the Battle of Dan-no-ura. On the anniversary of Emperor Antoku’s death, they purified themselves and paid homage at his mausoleum. Today, it is performed every May 3 in Shimonoseki as part of the Shinto ritual “Sentei-sai” at Akama Shrine, during the Shimonoseki Kaikyō Festival.
The announcement read: “A performance usually seen only in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, will be specially presented in Sangenjaya! This is the first time in about ten years since the inaugural event that it has been shown here. While large crowds are expected, don’t miss the chance to capture the sight of the richly dressed courtesans in photos and in your memory!”
Encouraged by that, I went to see it myself. The actual performance, however, lasted only a few minutes (just a few steps), leaving me feeling a little unsatisfied. Still, considering the sweltering heat, it must have been extremely demanding for the performers to wear costumes weighing 20 kilograms along with wigs weighing another 5 kilograms.
本家はこのような上臈たちが何組も練り歩くゴージャスなパレードらしい。一度見てみたい。 The original event is said to be a gorgeous parade with multiple groups of such courtesans processing in full attire. I’d love to see it someday.