The Soma Nomaoi (Sōma no Nomaoi) did not begin as the grand festival it is today, but quite literally as an event to “chase wild horses.” At its heart lay the faith centered on the three Soma Myoken Shrines—Soma Ota Shrine, Soma Odaka Shrine, and Soma Nakamura Shrine—and a culture that revered horses as sacred beings. This time, let’s explore what the Nomaoi was like during the Edo period.
Venue: Nomaoi Hara (Nomaoi Plain)
During the Edo period, the venue for the Soma Nomaoi festival was located in Haramachi, Minamisoma City—just as it is today. As the name “Haramachi” (meaning “field town”) suggests, the area was a vast expanse of open grasslands. This land, known as “Nomaoi-hara,” served as a large pasture where wild horses once roamed freely.
The horses that grazed freely on the Nomaoi Plain were not mere wild animals. They were revered as sacred beings dedicated to Myōken, cherished and cared for by the people. Usually living peaceful, leisurely lives, these horses played an important role in the sacred rituals—they were captured as part of the ceremonies and offered to Myōken as divine horses.
The current center of the festival, the “Hibarigahara Festival Grounds,” is located within what was once part of the Nomaoi Plain. Here, you can still feel the history of the vast grasslands that once stretched across this area.
What is Nomakake (Wild Horse Capture)?
The climax of the Soma Nomaoi festival, known as “Noma-kake,” is a traditional ritual that has been carried on since the Edo period. The wild horses, driven by mounted warriors, are guided to the Odaka Myoken Shrine (present-day Odaka Shrine). There, they are captured by people dressed in white garments called “okobito” and offered to the deity as sacred horses, or “shinme.” This ceremony continues to be performed today in nearly the same form as in the past.
Wild Horses as Sacred Steeds: Their Fate Thereafter
When people hear the phrase “offered to the gods,” some may worry that the horses might lose their lives. However, the horses captured during the Noma-kake ceremony are never killed. Instead, a sacred ritual known as “Age-noma” is performed.
Ritual of the Consecrated Horse
The ritual of Age-no-ma is a ceremony that unites the horse with the deity Myōken. In this ritual, the following procedures are carried out:
- Giving Rice and Salt
- Rice symbolizes abundance, and salt is used for purification. Giving the horse these emphasizes its role as a sacred being.
- Tying the Shide (paper streamers)
- Shide (paper streamers), which are white jagged pieces of paper, are tied to the horse's mane. These shide (paper streamers), which are also found on shimenawa (sacred ropes) and kamidana (kamidana) at shrines, symbolize holiness. By tying them, the horse is believed to become one with the god, becoming a sacred horse.
Through this ritual, the horse concludes the festival as a sacred being. The “Age Noma” ceremony is one of the most significant parts of today’s Soma Nomaoi festival, carrying particularly deep meaning within its traditions.
