On February 6, 2025, the Hatsuuma Festival was held at Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City. The festival, which is related to the origins of Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine and appears in the Heian period Pillow Book and Konjaku Monogatari, was crowded with many worshippers praying for prosperity in business and safety in their homes.
The festival is named after the legend that Inari Okami was enshrined on Inariyama on the first day of the horse in February 711. Since ancient times, worship on this day has been called "Fuku Mairi" (lucky visit), and a lucky charm called "Shirushi no Sugi" (sign of a cedar tree) with a mask of Otafuku attached is given to the sacred cedar tree.
Many people on this day also received prayers at the main hall and sought lucky charms from early in the morning. A 53-year-old company employee from Muko City said, "I visit every year, but this year I just changed jobs, so I prayed for good things to happen."
