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Performers dress in traditional happi coats, straw hats, and waraji sandals carry ceremonial equipment for the historic Otaue Rice Planting Festival (Otaue Shinji) at Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine in southern Osaka, Japan, on Sunday.
Officially designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, the event highlights the deep-rooted connection between local communities and traditional farming practices.
This opening phase features multi-stage costumed dances and processions by dedicated community members who move in unison to invoke a bountiful autumn harvest.
Local residents act as ceremonial rice planters (kaeshi) wade through the muddy water of a sacred paddy field to plant seedlings during the historic festival.
The ancient agricultural ritual reaches its dramatic climax as these community members manually plant the new crop, reflecting the exact methods used by Japanese farmers for generations.
Traditional musical, warrior, and theatrical performances are held simultaneously around the field to encourage the workers and invoke a bountiful autumn harvest.
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