One of the three major dances in the prefecture, it is said to have originated in 1648 when Mizutani Katsutaka, the lord of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle, had it performed to pray for a bountiful harvest and the prosperity of the townhouses. There are two types of this dance: the elegant "shikumi-odori" performed by samurai, and the lively "ji-odori" performed by townspeople. During the festival period, hundreds of thousands of people, young and old alike, participate in the dancing.