A Misugi festival where prayers are offered through ancient rituals and miso-seasoned burdock
Gonbo Festival
The 2026 edition of Gonbo Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/02/11Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on February 11 / Every year
- Location
- Nakayama grounds
- Area
- Mie Prefecture・Tsu City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Gonbo Festival is held at Nakayama Jinja in Shimonokawa, Misugi-cho, Tsu City, to pray for a bountiful harvest and prosperity for descendants. Rituals preserving ancient traditions, including offerings of miso-seasoned burdock, archery at a target, and a knife ceremony, have been passed down through the generations.
About Gonbo Festival
The Gonbo Festival (Gonbo Matsuri) is held every year on February 11 at Nakayama Jinja in Shimonokawa, Misugi-cho, Tsu City.
It is said to take its name from the offering of burdock dressed with miso, and prayers are made for a bountiful harvest and prosperity for descendants.
Designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the prefecture, it is an event passed down in the local community.
Source: 牛蒡祭（ごんぼまつり）、2月11日(水曜日・祝日)開催！｜津市公式ウェブサイト－Official Website of Tsu City / 牛蒡祭 - 三重のお祭りアーカイブ みえお祭り特集 WEBサイト
Festival highlights
Highlights include offerings of miso-seasoned burdock and a shaped like male and female symbols.
The host archery at a target by bow officials and a traditional cutting-board ritual in the Ogasawara school style, equivalent to a knife ceremony.
What makes this festival distinctive is that rituals preserving ancient traditions are performed as part of a series of festival events.
A Misugi festival where prayers are offered through ancient rituals and miso-seasoned burdock
What to expect
After the Head Handover Ceremony is held in the shrine grounds, the festival proceeds to archery at a target by 2 bow officials.
Then, 2 knife officials wearing kamishimo prepare a mullet, which is dipped in rice vinegar and served as an accompaniment to sacred sake.
The prepared dish is said to be served to visitors as well, making this a festival where ritual and shared food are closely connected.
How to take part
The 2026 event information says it is open to “anyone,” so members of the general public can also visit the festival.
The festival centers on rituals held within the shrine grounds, with roles such as the bow bearer and the knife bearer performed separately.
If you wish to pray or observe, please follow directions on the shrine grounds so as not to disrupt the proceedings.
The 2026 information says no advance application is required.
Visitors can observe the festival within Nakayama Shrine’s grounds.
No information is provided about taking part in ritual roles or the detailed check-in procedure on the day, so please follow instructions at the venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Nakayama Jinja grounds (5293 Shimonokawa, Misugi-cho, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture)
Address 5293 Shimonokawa, Misugi-cho, Tsu City, Mie Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held on February 11 (Wednesday), from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
The festival is held annually on February 11.
According to the 2026 event information, this event has ended.
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 Mie Prefecture / Tsu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
As the festival takes place in the grounds of Nakayama Jinja, please be mindful of the progress of the rituals and the paths used by visitors while watching.
It is important to watch quietly from a spot where you will not interfere with nearby rituals, such as the archery at a target or the knife ceremony.
Please follow on-site instructions regarding offerings and the handling of ritual items.
Nearby attractions
ルーブル彫刻美術館
三重県津市の美術館
三重県立美術館
三重県津市にある公立美術館
三重県総合博物館
三重県津市にある公立博物館
石水博物館
三重県津市にある博物館
Origins and History of Gonbo Festival
The origins of the Gonbo Festival are unclear, but the district has a record of head-house duty assignments from Keicho 10 (1605).
This record shows that the festival has a long history, dating back at least to the early Edo period.
The main festival day was once the 15th day of the old lunar New Year, but it is now held on February 11.
Official information
The 2026 event information is available on the official Tsu City website under “Gonbo Festival (Gonbo Matsuri), held on February 11 (Wednesday, a public holiday)!”
Information is provided about the venue, event hours, eligibility, and the fact that no application is required.
Gonbo Festival at a Glance
The Gonbo Festival is a festival held at Nakayama Jinja in Shimonokawa, Misugi-cho, Tsu City, to pray for a bountiful harvest and prosperity for descendants.
Highlights include rituals that preserve ancient traditions, such as offerings of miso-seasoned burdock, a distinctive mikoshi, archery at a target, and a knife ceremony.
In 2026, it was held on February 11, from 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
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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