Mukasari Gyorestu is a bridal procession that took place in the Ichinoseki region until the 1950s. It has been reenacted in the town of Genbi since 2003 to preserve the tradition and revitalize the area.
About 100 participants, dressed in dignified traditional costumes, gather to decorate the Genbi area. Watched by a large crowd of spectators, the procession walks about 700 meters to the Genbi Community Center. This year (2024) the route will change with the procession starting at Itsukushien > Tengu Bashi over Genbikei Gorge > and ending at Genbi Community Center. The procession then hands over the gifts and performs the Sansan Kudo ceremony, which is a ritualized drinking of a small amount of sake, a ceremony of binding.
I had the once in a lifetime privilege to be the bride at this event the last time it was held in 2019, alongside my husband. We were blessed with perfect autumn weather, taking in the views of one of the most scenic places in Japan, Genbikei Gorge.
The amount of work that went into the traditional attire, hair, makeup, the gathering of the entourage—not to mention the decorated horses! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have our marriage celebrated by so many people in our new found home. I am truly grateful to Genbi Community Center for their hard work in putting together this spectacular display, and I hope that the tradition can be carried on for many more years. I am very much looking forward to viewing this year's procession with my daughter. I’m sure the bride and groom at the center, will also feel the joy of this occasion for many years to come.
Mukasari Gyoretsu is scheduled for October 26, 2026, 11:30 am starting at Itsukushien > Tenko Bashi over Genbikei Gorge > and ending at Genbi Community Center.
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