Traditional Crafts

Hassaku no Uma Straw HorsesFolk Crafts

Hassaku no Uma is a kind of small straw horse that is handed out to local residents in Ashiya Town (Kitakyushu area) during birthday celebrations for boys and held on August 1 (a day known as "Hassaku" under the old lunar calendar). This celebratory event, which boasts a history of 300 years, continues to held these days on September 2 in the early hours of the morning. These horses are made by moistening local straw, beating it on a wooden surface to make it soft, and then weaving the straw into the shape of a horse. A figure of a famous warrior like Kuroda Nagamasa is then placed on the horse in the hope that the young boys will be brought up to be healthy and brave.