A summer festival of dance, taiko, and fireworks in the home of Donpan-bushi
Donpan Festival
The 2026 edition of Donpan Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/16Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on August 16 / Once a year
- Location
- Donpan Plaza (in front of the Nakazato Branch Office of Daisen City Hall)
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Daisen City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 min · bullet 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A summer festival in the Nakazato area of Daisen, the birthplace of Donpan-bushi, featuring circle dancing, local performing arts, performances, and fireworks.
About Donpan Festival
Donpan Festival is a summer festival in the Nakazato area of Daisen, the birthplace of Donpan-bushi.
Participants form a circle and dance the “Donpan Dance,” an adaptation of the original Donpan-bushi dance.
The program also features traditional performing arts by children, original taiko performances, local performing arts and folk songs, and Japanese drums. Fireworks are launched at the end of the festival.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the Donpan Dance, based on the original Donpan-bushi dance.
Participants dance in a large circle, followed by traditional performing arts by children, original taiko performances, local performing arts, folk songs, and Japanese drums.
Fireworks light up the night-sky finale, bringing dance, music, and fireworks together in one festival.
A summer festival of dance, taiko, and fireworks in the home of Donpan-bushi
What to expect
At the festival, participants form a circle and dance the Donpan Dance, an adaptation of the original Donpan-bushi dance.
The program features traditional performing arts by children, original taiko performances, local performing arts, folk songs, and Japanese drums, with the focus on dancing and performances.
Fireworks rise into the night sky for the finale.
How to take part
General participation is welcome.
The Donpan Dance is performed by participants dancing in a circle. No reservation is required, and participation is free.
Those who join the dancing receive an original tenugui hand towel as a gift.
No reservation is required to join the dancing, and participation is free.
Those who join the dancing receive an original tenugui hand towel as a gift.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Donpan Plaza (in front of the Nakazato Branch Office of Daisen City Hall), 141 Chabatake, Kitanagano, Daisen, Akita
- Train and bus
5 minutes on foot from JR Ugo-Nagano Station / Get off at the Ugo-Kotsu bus stop “Ugo-Nagano Station” and walk 5 minutes
- By car
Via National Route 105 from Omagari IC on the Akita Expressway
- Parking
Free
Address 141 Chabatake, Kitanagano, Daisen, Akita
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed event date has passed)
Scheduled for August 16, 2026 (Sunday).
The dancing is scheduled to start around 6 p.m., and the fireworks are scheduled from 20:10 to 20:30.
The event goes ahead in light rain, but in severe weather it moves to Nakazato Civic Hall Donpal; it is canceled in severe weather.
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 Akita Prefecture / Daisen City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
In 2026, the event is scheduled to go ahead in light rain.
In severe weather, the event moves to Nakazato Civic Hall Donpal; cancellation in severe weather is also listed as a condition.
Nearby attractions
Tourist attractions near the venue include Roadside Station Nakasen “Home of Donpan-bushi,” Mizu Itakura, and the National Treasure “Mirror Image with an Engraved Thousand-Armed Kannon and Other Figures.”
Roadside Station Nakasen is introduced as a place associated with Donpan-bushi.
秋田県立農業科学館
秋田県大仙市にある博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
払田柵跡
秋田県大仙市・美郷町にある古代城柵遺跡
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Donpan Festival
The Nakazato area of Daisen is introduced as the birthplace of Donpan-bushi.
At the festival, people dance the “Donpan Dance,” an adaptation of the original dance.
The festival’s founding year and origins are not specified, but local performing arts and taiko performances are presented alongside the songs and dances of the area.
Official information
The organizer and contact is the Donpan Festival Executive Committee.
The festival office is located in the Citizen Services Division of the Nakazato Branch Office of Daisen City Hall. The phone number is 0187-56-2111.
Donpan Festival at a Glance
Donpan Festival is a summer festival held in the Nakazato area of Daisen, the birthplace of Donpan-bushi.
Alongside the Donpan Dance, the program features traditional performing arts by children, original taiko performances, local performing arts and folk songs, and Japanese drums.
It is held every year on August 16, with fireworks bringing the festival to a close at night.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
