In 1560, Nasu Noritane, the lord of the Karasuyama Castle, invited Ushitotenno to Karasuyama to pray for the prevention of epidemics, a good harvest, and peace under heaven in the region. At the time, sumo wrestling and kagura shishi (lion dance) were performed as entertainment dedicated to the festival. Eventually, with the rise of Edo Kabuki and the popularity of Tokiwazu Sosaku, Tokiwazu Sosaku began to be performed as a votive entertainment, and this became the form of gorgeous outdoor Kabuki dance that is unparalleled in the country today, and was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in February 1979. This "Karasuyama no Yamaage event" is currently performed by six townships on a rotating basis, and is held for three days on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, including the fourth Saturday in July each year.
　The "mountain" is a wooden frame made of bamboo in the shape of a screen, on which layers of Karasuyama's specialty Japanese paper are pasted, on top of which a landscape is painted. The name "Yama-age" comes from the fact that the "mountain" is raised by human power.