Hoei Kago Parade

The Hoe-kago procession is one of the events that color the Juo Ebisu festival. Originally, it began with geisha from Osaka's Minami district parading ostentatiously in their palanquins to visit Imamiya Ebisu Shrine. Over 200 years ago, it was already organized into a magnificent procession and has been passed down to this day as a formal dedication event and a beloved New Year's event for the citizens of Osaka. During its peak in the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa periods, over 100 palanquins competed in splendor, and the magnificent spectacle is still spoken of today. Numerous pictures remain, showing that dedications similar to those of today existed during the Genroku period, and the form of the Hoe-kago seen today was established during the Horeki period. Inheriting the tradition to this day, the recent Hoe-kago procession continues to grow more grand and lively each year as a beloved traditional folk event of Osaka.