Omiya-jinja Shrine

Omiya Jinja in Yamaga, Kumamoto, is the focal point of the annual Yamaga Lantern Festival in August, one of the most visually distinct festivals in Kyushu. According to legend, local people guided Emperor Keiko through darkness using torches, a tradition that evolved into the use of washi paper lanterns. The Agari Toro ceremony at the main hall, dating to the Muromachi period, is the festival's central ritual. The Lantern Hall displays toro year-round, including the golden and silver paper lanterns that female dancers wear on their heads. Each new set of toro is crafted specifically for the festival and offered to the shrine before being exhibited for the following year.