Haijima’s Festival of Dawn, as the sakaki mikoshi makes its way through the night
The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Mid-September every year / Every year
- Location
- Haijima Hiyoshi
- Area
- Tokyo Metropolis・Akishima City(Within Tokyo: approx. 15 min–1 h by train (central areas))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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
The Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja is a traditional event in Haijima-cho, Akishima City, where the sakaki travels through the neighborhood late at night and sakaki-tori takes place just before dawn.
About The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja
The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja is part of the annual at Hiyoshi Jinja, held in mid-September.
The sakaki mikoshi, made using a large sakaki tree, proceeds through the neighborhood, and the festival reaches a major moment from late night until just before dawn.
The three Haijima neighborhoods take turns preparing for this festival, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government-designated cultural property that has been passed down for more than 250 years.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the procession of the sakaki mikoshi, made using a sakaki tree over 5 meters tall.
The mikoshi departs from the jinja at midnight, is carried through the neighborhood, and returns to the around dawn.
The sequence culminating in sakaki-tori, when participants pull down the sakaki tree and compete for its branches, is what makes this event, known as the “Festival of Dawn,” distinctive.
Haijima’s Festival of Dawn, as the sakaki mikoshi makes its way through the night
What to expect
The festival features performances of festival by the three Haijima neighborhoods, and the sakaki mikoshi and shrine mikoshi proceed through town.
The sakaki mikoshi is carried through the neighborhood for about 4 hours before returning to the keidai, after which participants compete for sakaki branches in sakaki-tori.
In the afternoon, the shrine mikoshi proceeds along Okutama Kaido, following the scene of a procession depicted in the Sanno Festival Illustrated Scroll. A procession and the raising of festival floats’ figures also take place.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja, 1-10-19 Haijima-cho, Akishima City
Address 1-10-19 Haijima-cho, Akishima City, Tokyo
Dates and season
- Season
Mid-September every year
- Frequency
Every year
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 Tokyo Metropolis / Akishima City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The 2026 event information says that the program may be changed or the event canceled in the event of severe weather.
Traffic restrictions and changes to bus services due to the festival are also announced.
Origins and History of The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja
The Sakaki Festival has a tradition spanning more than 250 years and is designated a Tokyo Metropolitan Government cultural property.
The three Haijima neighborhoods taking turns preparing for the festival each year is also one of the ways the community has passed it down.
Since the sakaki mikoshi travels through the neighborhood late at night and the festival reaches its climax just before dawn, it has long been known as the “Festival of Dawn.”
Official information
The 2026 event information is posted by the Akishima Tourism and Community Development Association.
The information also lists the Hiyoshi Jinja, Akishima City, and Tachikawa Bus websites as related resources.
The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja at a Glance
The Sakaki Festival at Haijima Hiyoshi Jinja is a traditional event with more than 250 years of history, passed down in Haijima-cho, Akishima City.
It is known as the “Festival of Dawn,” when the sakaki mikoshi travels through the neighborhood late at night and participants gather sakaki branches before dawn.
The festival also features festival hayashi, a yatai procession, and the of the shrine mikoshi. However, the information provided gives conflicting dates for the 2026 event.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
