Oita: ‘Holy Land of Fried Chicken’ Hosts Prayer of Thanksgiving at Shrine, with Shop Owners Presenting Offerings 

The Yomiuri Shimbun 

17:41 JST, March 22, 2025

NAKATSU, Oita — A memorial service for chickens was held recently in Nakatsu, Oita Prefecture, which promotes itself as the “holy land of fried chicken,” to express gratitude to the animals being consumed. 

A group of 16 fried chicken shops in the city holds the ritual annually at the Nakatsu Daijingu shrine. According to the group, there are 42 such shops in the city. 

About 20 people, including members of the group, took part in the ceremony on March 6. After around eight kilograms (about 240 pieces) of fried chicken brought by the all 16 member shops was offered to the gods, the priest performed a prayer of thanksgiving. The shop owners offered tamagushi, or branches from a sacred tree, and prayed for the chickens, expressing their gratitude for their daily sacrifice. 

The group, called Seichi Nakatsu Karaage no Kai and established in 2010, works to promote the local community. In 2019, it made more than 1,600 kilograms of fried chicken in a single day and was recognized by Guinness World Records for the feat. 

“We are all having a hard time due to the rising price of oil and other raw materials,” said Masahiko Inoue, the group’s leader. “But we will do our best to make Nakatsu’s fried chicken more popular.”