A Gion festival where mikoshi calls and fireworks in the night sky bring color to summer in Hirose
Gion Festival (Yasugi City)
The 2026 edition of Gion Festival (Yasugi City) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/19 〜 2026/07/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Held annually
- Location
- Hirose Honmachi area, Hirose-cho (fireworks: riverside area on the left bank of the Iinashi River near Tomita Bridge)
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Yasugi City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 min · 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
The Hirose Gion Festival, handed down in Hirose-cho, Yasugi City. The procession, evening stalls, stage events, and fireworks along the Iinashi River bring color to summer in town.
About Gion Festival (Yasugi City)
The Hirose Gion Festival is held each year in Hirose-cho, Yasugi City, mainly on July 20.
It features a mikoshi purification ceremony, Yoimiya eve festival, procession at dusk, nighttime procession, fireworks, evening stalls, and stage events, with festivities taking place in the Hirose Honmachi neighborhood.
The festival has been handed down as a festival of Tomita Hachiman Shrine, with a mikoshi procession carrying prayers for health and protection from illness winding through the community.
Festival highlights
Highlights include the mikoshi procession through the Hirose neighborhood and the variety of events held at night.
Stage performances include the Yasugi Junior Brass Band, , Okinawan Eisa , and Amago Taiko, and evening stalls line the area.
A fireworks display is held along the Iinashi River, bringing color to summer in Hirose with the mikoshi, music, and fireworks.
A Gion festival where mikoshi calls and fireworks in the night sky bring color to summer in Hirose
What to expect
The festival begins with the mikoshi purification ceremony and Yoimiya eve festival, followed by the mikoshi procession at dusk and then a nighttime procession.
Carriers call out “Wasshoi” as the mikoshi winds through the Hirose area.
Stage events, stalls, and a fireworks display along the Iinashi River are added at night, bringing the neighborhood festival and evening events to life.
Location and access
- Venue and address
広瀬町広瀬本町地内／花火：富田橋付近飯梨川左岸河川敷
- By car
July 19, 2026 and the 20th: Road closures will be in effect in Hirose
Address Hirose Honmachi area, Hirose, Hirose-cho, Yasugi City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
- July 19, 2026
神輿清め式・宵宮 18:00～／2026年7月20日：神輿巡幸 10:00～・20:30～、露店 17:00～22:00、ステージイベント 19:00～22:00、花火大会 20:00～20:15
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 Shimane Prefecture / Yasugi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
July 19, 2026 and the 20th: Road closures will be in effect in Hirose, so take traffic restrictions into account if you visit by car or other private vehicle.
Nearby attractions
The ruins of Gassan Toda Castle are introduced as a nearby attraction that conveys the history of Hirose-cho.
Hirose-cho lies at the foot of Gassan Toda Castle, and traces of the Edo-period jinya town remain, including samurai residences, merchant houses, and waterways.
You can also take in the area’s historic scenery alongside the festival.
和鋼博物館
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
安来市立歴史資料館
島根県安来市にある資料館
足立美術館
島根県安来市にある美術館
足立美術館庭園
島根県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
Origins and History of Gion Festival (Yasugi City)
The Hirose Gion Festival is said to have begun when residents brought a deity from Kyoto to calm an epidemic that spread in 1748 and built Suga Shrine on the grounds of Tomita Hachiman Shrine.
The mikoshi procession carries prayers for health and protection from illness, and is introduced as a tradition that has continued for about 270 years.
In recent years, an aging population and declining birthrate have made it difficult to find people to carry the mikoshi, so the system changed from neighborhood associations taking turns to gathering carriers for the procession.
Official information
The organizer information lists a contact for the Hirose Branch of the Yasugi City Tourism Association and the Hirose Gion Festival website.
Gion Festival (Yasugi City) at a Glance
The Hirose Gion Festival is a mikoshi festival handed down in Hirose-cho, Yasugi City.
Alongside the mikoshi purification ceremony, Yoimiya eve festival, and neighborhood procession, there are evening stalls, stage events, and a fireworks display along the Iinashi River.
The festival today centers on the tradition that it began with efforts to quell an epidemic in 1748, and the mikoshi procession carrying prayers for health and protection from illness.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
