Three traditional days when a mikoshi and 13 dashi bring the streets of Esashi to life
Esashi Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2027/08/09 〜 2027/08/11Scheduled
- Season / frequency
- Every year, August 9–11 / Every year
- Area
- Hokkaido・Esashi Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional festival held at Ubagami Daijingu Shrine in Esashi Town, featuring a and procession through town.
About Esashi Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival
This festival, designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hokkaido, is held around Ubagami Daijingu Shrine in Esashi Town.
Each year, from August 9 through the 11th, dashi accompany the mikoshi procession as it makes its way through town.
As a festival of Ubagami Daijingu Shrine, which has deep ties to herring fishing, it has long been a time to pray for good harvests, abundant catches, and good health.
Source: 文化遺産データベース
Festival highlights
The main highlight is watching 13 lavishly decorated dashi wind their way through town.
On the second and third days, the mikoshi is welcomed at a lodging, and all the dashi perform festival music together, letting you experience the power of a festival in which mikoshi and dashi move as one.
Processions that continue late into the night are another striking feature of the festival.
Source: 江差・姥神大神宮渡御祭 | イベント一覧 | はこぶら
Three traditional days when a mikoshi and 13 dashi bring the streets of Esashi to life
What to expect
The festival begins with the Hosen-sai and other observances on the 9th, followed by the main festival on the 10th and 11th.
On the 10th, the mikoshi processes through the area north of Ubagami Daijingu Shrine, and on the 11th through the area to the south, accompanied by 13 dashi.
This festival unfolds over several days, with dashi music and the mikoshi being welcomed at a lodging among its daily events.
Source: 姥神大神宮渡御祭（８月） – 江差町観光情報
Location and access
- Address
Esashi Town
Host municipality 北海道江差町
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
The festival is scheduled to run from August 9 through the 11th in 2027.
Events include the Hosen-sai and other observances on the 9th, the main festival's procession through the lower town on the 10th, and its procession through the upper town on the 11th.
Check the announcements released before the festival for each day's detailed start times and procession routes.
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 Hokkaido / Esashi Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Origins and History of Esashi Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival
The Ubagami Daijingu Festival has been passed down as a festival of Ubagami Daijingu Shrine associated with herring fishing, an important livelihood for the people of Esashi Town.
The festival is described as having a tradition of about 380 years, and the form of its mikoshi and dashi processions has changed over time.
In 2019, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Hokkaido and recognized as a custom rich in local character.
Official information
Information on the planned schedule, daily events, dashi, festival music, and history is available in the Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival guide from Esashi Town Tourism Information.
The Esashi Town Hall Oiwake Tourism Division Tourism Section is also listed as a contact, with its phone number.
Esashi Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival at a Glance
The Ubagami Daijingu Togyo Festival, held in Esashi Town for about 380 years, is a traditional festival in which a mikoshi and 13 dashi process through town.
Against a background of beliefs tied to herring fishing, hopes for good harvests, abundant catches, and good health have been passed down through generations.
Events unique to Esashi, such as welcoming the mikoshi at a lodging and dashi performing festival music together, are among the highlights.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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