CHAGUCHAGU UMAKO

The name of a horse-festival in Morioka, Iwate. 'Chagu-chagu' refers to the sound of the bells worn round the neck of a horse, which in northern Japanese dialect is 'umako'. The chagu-chagu umako includes a procession of about 100 beautifully adorned horses ridden by children and young women (seechigo). The route runs through rice fields from Komagata-jinja to the Morioka Hachiman jinja, about 12 miles. Offerings are made at various sozen jinja, subsidiary shrines dedicated to the guardian kami of horses, sozen-sama.