Among the countless local celebrations held across Japan each year, one of the most unusual is the Enrei Onodachi Memorial Festival, often described as Japan’s shortest festival. The festival commemorates visits made to the area by two Japanese emperors—Emperor Meiji and Emperor Shōwa. During their respective travels through the region, the emperors briefly stopped at the site. Just like these brief visits, the festival lasts for only a few seconds. Despite its brevity, the festival attracts spectators, historians, and curious travellers who gather to witness a ceremony that is over almost as soon as it begins.
The Enrei Onodachi Park where the festival is held. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The festival is held biannually every June and October in Enrei Onodachi Park in Shiojiri Pass located in Nagano Prefecture. The spring festival commemorates the visit of Emperor Meiji to the area on June 24, 1880. The autumn festival commemorates the visit of Emperor Hirohito to the area on October 14, 1947.
The festival started in 1916 shortly after the villages of Hirano, Nagaji, Shiojiri, and Chikumachi erected a stone monument to commemorate the visit of Emperor Meiji in 1880. Following the visit of Emperor Hirohito in 1947, the autumn festival started.
The festival starts around 10:00 am, and the people who participate in the festival all bow their heads at once after a person in charge signals "Everyone, bow”. After the short bow, the festival ends. Prior to 2006, the festival only lasted ten seconds. In the spring festival of 2006, it was extended to one minute after the Okaya City government said that ten seconds was "too short to show respect". In the autumn festival in the same year, it was shortened to 30 seconds after the Shiojiri City government said that "one minute was too long". By the Autumn festival in 2007, both cities agreed to settle on 20 seconds. In October 2023, the autumn festival was shortened to 15 seconds. The 2024-edition of the festival was, however, again 20 seconds long.
Credit: The Mainichi
Although the festival is brief, it is usually attended by government officials from both Shiojiri and Okaya, including the mayor and city councillors, and a hundred other people from both cities. The brief ceremony symbolizes respect for the imperial visits and serves as a reminder of the historical connection between the locality and the Japanese throne.
Attending the summer celebration in 2024, Okaya Mayor Kazuma Sode, commented, "Reflecting on Emperor Meiji's visit, I hope to firmly build upon the friendly relationship between the two cities." Shiojiri Mayor Takashi Momose too pledged to further enhance friendship and development between both cities, saying, "This is a festival with historical significance, and our major responsibility is to pass it on to the future."
A video of the entire festival can be found on this site.
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