The rain-making ritual "Otaki Festival," in which eels given sacred sake are released into the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, was held at Otaki Daimyojin Shrine in Yuyadani, Ujitawara-cho, Kyoto Prefecture, on September 1, 2024, with local residents praying for good harvests and good health.
The ritual is based on a legend that when eels were given sake and thrown into the waterfall during a drought, they rose to the heavens, transformed into dragons, and brought rain.
A priest offered a prayer in front of a small shrine halfway up the waterfall, and about 25 residents who gathered offered tamagushi. Three people, including the Yuyadani ward mayor (70 years old), threw the eels into the pool one by one, and the three eels wriggled their bodies and flew through the air before disappearing into the current.
The man said, "I was worried about the typhoon, but I'm relieved that the ritual was completed safely this year as well. I prayed for good health and peace in the local area."
