Henbe

Synopsis

In Tōei, a small mountain town in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, a sacred ritual called Hana Matsuri ("Flower Festival") has been passed down for over 700 years. Widely respected by folklorists and ritual enthusiasts both in Japan and abroad, Hana Matsuri is not only a spiritual tradition, but also the cultural core of the local community—an embodied memory of who they are. Like many rural areas in Japan, Tōei faces rapid population decline and shifting social structures. This film gently follows those who sustain the festival amid such changes.