People-Throwing and Ash-Smearing Festival

Last Updated on January 20, 2025

Event Overview

The Matsunoyama Onsen Snow Throwing Festival, held annually on January 15th, celebrates the “Little New Year.”.

At the heart of this unique event is a custom where a groom married in the previous year is ceremoniously thrown down a snowy slope from the grounds of Yakushido, a shrine approximately 5 meters high.

While today the festival is seen as a blessing for marital happiness and a way to strengthen the couple’s bond, its origins are shrouded in folklore.

Some believe it stems from ancient marriage abduction practices or evolved from a ritualized form of revenge for the kidnapping of a village daughter.

Couples interested in participating are invited to register until the end of November each year.

Another significant “Little New Year” event in Matsunoyama Onsen is Suminuri, where participants mix snow with ashes from the “Sai no Kami” (Dondo Yaki) ritual and playfully smear each other’s faces with the mixture while exclaiming “Congratulations!”. This custom is believed to bring good health and prosperity to the family business.

The enduring popularity of these unique “Little New Year” celebrations can be attributed, in part, to the presence of the hot springs, which provide a welcome respite from the cold winter weather.

Venue Information

Location: Matsunoyama Onsen

Dates: 15th January 2026

Opening Times: 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Entry Cost

Free.

Nearest Station

Matsudai Station

Hokuhoku Line