石上げ祭り
石上げ祭りの起源は諸説あるが、約170年程前の江戸時代、天保7年（1836年）「天保の大飢饉」の翌年から盛大になったとされます。8月の第1日曜日に行われ、対象の石を尾張富士の山頂（標高２７７メートル）に運びます。
祭りの由来は、その昔、ある者が尾張富士に登り願い事を石に記して願いごとをしたとき、その夢に「木花開耶姫命（このはなさくやひめのみこと）」が現れ、尾張富士が隣の本宮山より低いことをとても嘆きました。そこでその者は、木曽川の清浄な石を拾い上げ、山頂に積み上げたところ不思議にも願いが叶ったのです。そのことが村から村へと伝わり、相次いで大石を奉納して富貴長命、子孫繁栄、五穀豊穣を祈願したのが石上げ祭りの始まりであります。
Ishiage Festival
There are a number of theories about the origin of the Ishiage festival, but it began growing into the large-scale event it is today about 170 years ago. Many people believe it began in 1837, the year after the end of the Great Tenpo Famine. The festival takes place on the first Sunday of August and, as its name implies, involves “carrying rocks” to the summit of Owari Fuji (277 meters, 908 feet), a small mountain in the city of Inuyama.
One theory about the origin of the festival goes that long ago, someone climbed Owari Fuji and left a wish inscribed on a stone. Princess Konohana sakuya-hime then appeared to the person in a dream and lamented that Owari Fuji was not as tall as Mt. Hongu, a neighboring mountain. Afterwards, the individual picked up some clean rocks from the Kiso River, carried them to the top of the mountain, and stacked them up into a pile. As a result, the person’s wish came true. The story spread from village to village, and soon people began carrying large rocks to the summit to pray for long and prosperous lives, good fortune for their descendants, and bountiful harvests. This was the beginning of the Ishiage festival.
