The Challenge of Sustainability: Declining Birthrates, Women's Participation, and the Future of the Nomadoi Festival

The Soma Nomaoi festival has overcome the challenges of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, yet now faces a new crisis: the structural issues plaguing modern Japanese society—namely, a declining birthrate, an aging population, and population decline. To connect this thousand-year-old tradition to the future, a flexible approach is essential—one that not only “preserves” tradition but also ‘utilizes’ and “updates” it.

This paper explains specific reform proposals advocated by new military strategist Mitsukiyo Monma to enhance the sustainability of the Nomaoi, focusing particularly on the problem of young participants leaving and expanding female participation.

1. The Barrier of Declining Birthrates and the “Junior High School Dropout Problem”

One of the greatest challenges facing the Nomaoi is the “decline in participating horses” and the “withdrawal of young participants.” Particularly severe is the “middle school barrier” for young riders.

Participation Status by Stage Issue Reform Proposal (Military Advisor Monma) Participation is relatively easy up to elementary school -- Participants drop sharply after middle school Consider relaxing regulations on armor requirements, weight, technical hurdles, and financial burdens to create an environment where participation can be sustained longer

Monma Gunshi believes that relaxing these regulations and creating an environment where more young people can continue participating in the Nomai is key to preserving the tradition. This is a pragmatic decision prioritizing the preservation of the “people” who carry on the tradition over maintaining its formal structure.

2. Expanding Female Participation: Challenging Taboos

While the Nomaoi has traditionally been a male-dominated festival, accepting motivated participants regardless of gender has become an urgent necessity for maintaining the festival in areas experiencing population decline.

As a challenge to this “taboo,” Military Advisor Monma has proposed the idea of “gradually relaxing the age restrictions for women.”

2.1. Current Situation and Need for Reform

• Current Situation: Many female riders participate from childhood, but age restrictions make full participation as adults difficult.

• Need for Reform: As the local population structure changes, increasing the pool of potential participants is essential to preserving tradition. Expanding opportunities for women is a practical adaptation to enhance the sustainability of the Nomaoi.

2.2. Existing Contributions by Women

As demonstrated by the case of Yoshimitsu Shikato, women's contributions have already begun. Considering his own weight gain and the burden on the horse, Mr. Shikato requested that a “lighter girl” ride the prized horse Norizun during the procession. This indicates the emergence of an open Nomaoi that values “ability”—such as horsemanship and physical stature—regardless of gender.

3. Shifting Tradition from “Preservation” to “Utilization”

The series of reform proposals presented by Monma Gunshi (such as moving the event to May, utilizing YouTube, and expanding female participation) demonstrate that the Soma Nomaoi is not a static heritage focused on “preserving” tradition. Instead, it is a “living system” that adapts to modern society, ‘utilizes’ and “updates” itself.

Regarding the future direction of the festival, Mr. Monma expressed his desire to transform the procession from “merely walking” into a “vibrant parade” where messengers dart about and mounted warriors exchange verbal challenges. This represents a forward-looking vision aiming for an interactive festival where participants themselves deeply enjoy role-playing as warriors, and where the excitement is conveyed to the audience.

The challenge to ensure the sustainability of the Soma Nomaoi will likely become an important model case for cultural inheritance in Japan, seeking harmony between tradition and modern society.