The Flower Festival is one of the most significant ceremonies in Mt. Haguro. Also called the Summer Retreat (in Japanese: natsu no mine 夏の峰), it designates a 96 days long Yamabushi training dedicated to the three avatars of Mt. Haguro. The peak of the rites is observed on July 15th, during which Yamabushi priests and monks perform rituals to pray for good crops and fertility. During the festival, the shrine servants and Yamabushi practitioners carry around a giant paper statue called mandô 万灯 that represents rice flowers. Then, the servants present the mandô to the crowd, so the participants can try to grab a strand out of the statue. The participants who succeeded can expose the fake flower at home, on top of their entrance door, to protect their families from demons and diseases.