Asauri Festival

This is a festival held on the nights of July 22 and 23 at Hinogozen Shrine. It features giving votive offerings of asauri, an oriental pickling melon.
Hinogozen Shrine was reportedly founded by Princess Uriu, the third daughter of Otsu no Miko, the first son of Emperor Tenmu. Princess Uriu’s stone with miraculous efficacy is enshrined in the main shrine. The stone is believed to bring you good luck in preventing children’s crying at night and tantrums, safe delivery of babies and marriage.
As the miraculous stone has the shape of an oriental pickling melon, visitors to the festival pray and offer to the shrine an oriental pickling melon wrapped by Japanese writing paper on which is written their family members’ names.