An agricultural ritual in Kamitennō featuring performances from rice planting through harvesting
Amano Ota Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- January third Sunday
- Location
- Niutsuhime Shrine
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Katsuragi Town(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · bullet train + connecting train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/20
This agricultural ritual, held at Niutsuhime Shrine in Kamitennō, Katsuragi, Wakayama Prefecture, has been passed down through generations and is held to pray for a bountiful harvest. Performers portraying the ta-bito (field workers), oxherds, and young women planting rice act out the process from rice planting through harvesting, presenting traditional prayers as an approachable form of performing art.
About Amano Ota Festival
The Amano Ota Festival is an agricultural ritual held at Niutsuhime Shrine to pray for a bountiful harvest.
Performers portraying the ta-bito (field workers), oxherds, and young women planting rice appear and act out farm work from preparing the fields through harvesting.
It is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Wakayama Prefecture and is cherished and passed down in the Kamitennō community.
A festival that brings agricultural culture to the present, combining ritual and performing arts.
Source: 歳時記 天野の御田祭｜かつらぎ町 / 御田祭（おんだまつり） | 丹生都比売神社
Festival highlights
Highlights include performances of farm work by masked performers portraying the ta-bito (field workers), oxherds, and young women planting rice.
The progression from rice planting through harvesting is depicted with humorous gestures.
Some scenes, such as the movements of the woman planting rice who wears an Otafuku mask, are sure to make the audience laugh.
The tower gate serves as the stage, where solemn prayers and approachable performing arts come together.
An agricultural ritual in Kamitennō featuring performances from rice planting through harvesting
What to expect
The festival features roles such as the ta-bito (field workers), oxherds, and young women planting rice, who act out scenes of farm work including preparing the fields, sowing seeds, planting rice, harvesting, and taking a break.
During the performance, participants chant “Ichiryū Manbai” (“one grain yields ten thousand”) and offer seedlings and rice ears to the gods.
The Yakuyoke Festival is held in the morning, and some event information also lists a lucky draw after the Ota dance dedication.
How to take part
Those wishing to pray at the Yakuyoke Festival apply by mail.
There is no information about registration, reservations, fees, or other arrangements for performers or spectators at the Ota Festival.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Niutsuhime Shrine, 230 Kamiamano, Katsuragi Town
- Train and bus
Get off at JR Kaseda Station, then a 20-minute drive / Take the community bus from in front of Kaseda Station and get off at the Niutsuhime Shrine stop
- By car
20 minutes by car from JR Kaseda Station
Address 230 Kamiamano, Katsuragi Town, Ito District, Wakayama Prefecture 649-7141
Dates and season
- Season
January third Sunday
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Wakayama Prefecture / Katsuragi Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Niutsuhime Shrine
和歌山県伊都郡かつらぎ町にある神社
Origins and History of Amano Ota Festival
The Amano Ota Festival is said to date back to the Heian period.
Sarugaku was added during the Kamakura period, and from the Muromachi period the festival evolved into a -style performance that combined ritual and entertainment.
The town’s guide says that similar forms existed from the late Heian period and that the festival took its present form during the Edo period.
In Showa 56, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Wakayama Prefecture.
Official information
For festival information, check the official pages of Niutsuhime Shrine, the venue, and Katsuragi Town.
Niutsuhime Shrine’s information introduces the origins of the Ota Festival, the performances, the Yakuyoke Festival, and the items offered to visitors.
For inquiries, contact Niutsuhime Shrine.
Amano Ota Festival at a Glance
The Amano Ota Festival is a traditional event held beneath the tower gate of Niutsuhime Shrine, where performers act out farm work while praying for a bountiful harvest.
Performers portraying the ta-bito (field workers), oxherds, and young women planting rice act out the process from preparing the fields through harvesting. The kyogen-style performances also offer humorous moments.
The festival originated as an agricultural rite dating back to the Heian period and is still passed down by a preservation society.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/20
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