Morimachi Float: Daimon, Hounsha

When the district became independent from Honmachi (Suisaisha) in 1978 (Showa 53), names were solicited from within the town. It was named "Hounsha" after the auspicious bird (zuicho) said to soar grandly through the sky and appear with white clouds as a sign that something good is about to happen, a symbol of good fortune. • Metal ornaments by Hayashi Kotaki (Okazaki, Aichi); joinery by Tokio Iguchi (Minamimachi) • The carvings use cypress wood from Oguni Shrine • Features include its balanced form amid a sense of weight, and the "Daishichi-sha" with seven rim plates on each wheel • The old float, made in 1922 (Taisho 11), was acquired from Honmachi (Suisaisha) in 1980 (Showa 55) and later moved to Kikugawa City in 1989 (Heisei 1) Builder: Nobuyuki Morishita (Daimon) Carving: Tatsumoto Yoshie (Inami, Toyama), (second-generation Asaun, Hamamatsu) Painting: Sadaji Kobayashi (Kiso District, Nagano) Wheels: Toshio Muramatsu (Nakayokocho) Calligraphy of the float name on the front blind: Hakuju Kuisako (from Honmachi, Morimachi)