By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-06-13 09:58:32 | Updated at 2026-06-14 05:43:26
20 hours ago
A horse parade called “chagu chagu umakko” took place on June 13 in north-eastern Iwate prefecture in Japan, with about 70 horses wearing ornate harnesses and bells parading through rice fields and city streets.
The horses, carrying children dressed in traditional attire, paraded about 14km from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine in Morioka as crowds, including foreign visitors, lined the route.
The event takes its name from “chagu chagu”, an onomatopoeia for the sound of bells, and “umakko”, a local dialect word for horse. It is believed to have originated as a ritual to pray for the health of farm horses.
During the parade, the children on horseback waved and smiled at the crowds.
One of them, three-year-old Airi Minami, said: “I was scared and cried last year, but this time, I’m enjoying it.” KYODO NEWS
