The Gimin Festival: Passing down Niimoto’s memories through dance and performance
Gimin Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Usually around mid-July each year / Every year
- Location
- The grounds of Soja Municipal Niimoto Elementary School
- Area
- Okayama Prefecture・Soja City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 10 min–3 h 40 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Gimin Festival, passed down in the Niimoto area of Soja City, is a summer event commemorating the Four Gimin Heroes and sharing the area’s history. Pupils perform an operetta and the Gimin Dance.
About Gimin Festival
The Gimin Festival is an event that has been passed down in the Niimoto area of Soja City, Okayama Prefecture.
It is held to commemorate the spirits of the 4 people who died in the Niimoto Gimin Uprising during the Edo period and to honor their contributions.
Pupils of Niimoto Elementary School and local residents pass down the area’s history through the festival.
Source: 義民祭 - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
Highlights include the operetta “Gimin-sama,” performed by pupils of Niimoto Elementary School, and the Gimin Dance, the festival’s main event.
The Gimin Dance expresses local memories associated with the Four Gimin Heroes through dance.
This festival offers a chance to learn about Niimoto’s history through performances by local children and traditional dance.
The Gimin Festival: Passing down Niimoto’s memories through dance and performance
What to expect
At the festival, pupils of Niimoto Elementary School perform the operetta “Gimin-sama,” which tells the history associated with the Four Gimin Heroes.
The Gimin Dance follows as the festival’s main event.
A ceremony called the Shazensai is also held at Gimin Shrine on the eve of the festival and on the morning of the festival itself.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The grounds of Soja Municipal Niimoto Elementary School.
- Train and bus
Soja City is about 25 minutes from Okayama Station on the Hakubi Line, or about 30 minutes on the Momotaro Line (Kibi Line).
- By car
It is about 10 minutes from Okayama-Soja Interchange on the Okayama Expressway to central Soja City, or about 15 minutes from Kurashiki Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway.
Source: 総社市の位置・アクセス - 総社市ホームページ（政策調整課）
Event venue 岡山県総社市 総社市立新本小学校の校庭
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
It is usually held as a summer festival around the middle of July.
The festival is held on a Saturday or Sunday evening. At Giminsha Shrine, a shrine-front ceremony takes place the night before and on the morning of the festival.
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 Okayama Prefecture / Soja City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
鬼ノ城
岡山県総社市に築かれた古代山城
Origins and History of Gimin Festival
The Gimin Festival commemorates 4 people connected with the Niimoto Gimin Uprising, which took place in Shinjo and Honjo villages in the territory of the Okada Domain from 1717 to 1718, and honors their contributions.
In 1918, the “200th Anniversary Festival of the Four Gimin Heroes” was held to mark 200 years since the uprising.
Taking this as an opportunity, it became an annual event held every summer with the whole community taking part.
Official information
The tourism information on Soja City’s official website lists the Gimin Festival as a summer event, noting that pupils perform an operetta and the Gimin Dance at Niimoto Elementary School.
Information from the Soja City Cultural Properties Division explains the background to the festival as an event commemorating the four Gimin.
Source: 市指定_義民埋葬地 - 総社市ホームページ（文化財課）
Gimin Festival at a Glance
The Gimin Festival is a summer event that passes down the history of the Niimoto area of Soja City through an operetta and the Gimin Dance.
The main highlights are “Gimin-sama,” performed by pupils of Niimoto Elementary School, and the Gimin Dance, the festival’s main event.
The exact date for 2026 is currently being confirmed, but the festival is usually held on a Saturday or Sunday evening around mid-July.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
