常陸國總社宮例大祭～石岡まつり～

1300年前の奈良時代、石岡は常陸国の国府で、政治・文化の中心地として栄えました。
国府の長官である国司は、国内の神々を合祀した常陸國總社宮で国の安寧を祈願することも政務であったとされています。国府の祭祀は近世以降、地域の人々によってさまざまな要素を加えながら発展し続け、「石岡のおまつり」として今に受け継がれています。

About 1,300 years ago during the Nara Period, Ishioka was the capital of Hitachi Province (today's Ibaraki Prefecture) and served as the center of government and culture for the region. One of the official duties of the
provincial governor was going to pray for peace and tranquility in the region at Hitachi-no-kuni Sosha-gu Shrine, a place where deities from throughout Japan were enshrined. From around the 16th century onward, people of the region began adding new traditions to this shrine visit ritual, and these traditions have accumulated and been passed down through the generations, resulting in today's Ishioka Festival.

ishioka_matsuri_english_inin_re_0112 (ishioka-kankou.com)