Sasayo

“”Sasayo”: A 250-Year-Old Tradition Sustained by Children”

In the Yorigihama district of Utatsu, children preserve a precious traditional practice that has endured for over 250 years, dating back to the Edo period. On January 15th—during Koshogatsu, the coldest time of the year—young boys of the Yorigiki community gather, carrying the large, vibrant tairyo-bata (good catch flags) of their respective households, and walk from door to door across the settlement. Standing at the doorsteps, they pray for a bountiful catch and chant in unison:

“Our Yorigihama, a-rayou, is a shore blessed with fish, a truly auspicious sight… Sasayo, yoitokora, yoitonae.”

Their energetic voices ring out vividly through the crisp, freezing winter air. Families prepare sacred rice wine (omiki) and monetary gifts in return. When the omiki is poured at the base of the flagpoles, the children’s chanting grows even more spirited. Once the house-to-house visits conclude, the eldest leader distributes the collected celebration gifts equally among all the children. This custom is said to mimic how a boat captain shares the catch yields with his crew.

The entire sequence of events is left entirely in the hands of the children, and adults are strictly barred from participating in their discussions. “Sasayo,” which deeply respects the children’s autonomy, serves as a vital rite of passage where young boys take a step closer to becoming the pillars of their coastal community.

Whenever the children’s voices echo across the shore, the people of Yorigi are reminded of the past. They recall the former elders of the shore who welcomed them in their own youth. The emotional bonds among the people of Yorigi have been woven together through these enduring traditions. Even after facing the unprecedented devastation of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the people who carry on this heritage remain right here, keeping the flame alive.