A traditional Oyama event in which a 7-year-old child carrying a flower bucket leads a nighttime procession
Hanaoke Katsugi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Januaryfourth Saturday / Every year
- Location
- From Ryūjuji Temple to Munakata Shrine
- Area
- Tochigi Prefecture・Oyama City(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 h · 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
- Age restrictions
- The flower bucket is carried by a 7-year-old girl
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Passed down in Samukawa, Oyama City, Hanaoke Katsugi is an event in which 7-year-old girls carry flower-decorated buckets and lead the and . The children’s procession through the night carries on a local belief in serving the gods at the milestone age of 7.
About Hanaoke Katsugi
Hanaoke Katsugi is an intangible folk cultural property designated by Oyama City and passed down in Samukawa.
A beautifully dressed 7-year-old girl carries a flower-decorated bucket and walks through the night with the mikoshi and dashi.
The custom regards the age of 7 as a transition from being a child of the gods to a child of human parents; the child carrying the flower bucket leads the mikoshi and serves the gods. It is considered a rare event even within the prefecture.
Festival highlights
A highlight is seeing a 7-year-old girl carrying a flower-decorated bucket.
Dressed in formal attire, she leads the procession as it walks through the night with the mikoshi and dashi.
A kasahoko decorated with artificial flowers is mounted on the dashi, and a custom is also described in which compete to take the flowers as protection against evil.
A traditional Oyama event in which a 7-year-old child carrying a flower bucket leads a nighttime procession
What to expect
The event begins around evening, and the girls receive a purification rite performed by a priest in front of the .
A procession then forms, led by and followed by the girls carrying flower buckets, the mikoshi, and dashi accompanied by flute and music. It walks along the roads of Samukawa.
There are brief and extended stops along the way, and the procession is said to pass through various places before returning to Munakata Shrine.
How to take part
対象年齢：花桶を担うのは7歳の女の子
Location and access
- Venue and address
From Ryūjuji Temple to Munakata Shrine / Samukawa, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture
- Train and bus
About 15 minutes by car from Mamada Station on the JR Utsunomiya Line
- By car
About 30 minutes from the Sano-Fujioka IC on the Tohoku Expressway
Address 1024 Samukawa, Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture (Ryūjuji Temple)
Dates and season
- Season
Januaryfourth Saturday
- 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 Tochigi Prefecture / Oyama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The procession walks along roads at night, and the event takes place during a dark, cold time of year.
Visitors should dress warmly and watch from a place that does not obstruct the procession or shinji.
Nearby attractions
小山市立博物館
栃木県小山市にある市立の博物館
小山市立車屋美術館
栃木県小山市にある美術館
Origins and History of Hanaoke Katsugi
Hanaoke Katsugi is said to have begun as part of the first Tenjin festival at a Tenmangu shrine enshrining Sugawara no Michizane.
The Tenmangu shrine is now enshrined together at Munakata Shrine, which enshrines the three Munakata goddesses, and the procession also heads to Munakata Shrine.
Oyama City designated it an intangible folk cultural property in Showa 48March 11.
Official information
The City of Oyama’s official website provides information about the date and venue of the Hanaoke Katsugi festival, its designation date, and the event details under “Oyama’s Cultural Properties (Intangible Folk Cultural Properties).”
The Cultural Properties Division is the contact point for questions about the listing.
Hanaoke Katsugi at a Glance
Hanaoke Katsugi is an intangible folk cultural property designated by Oyama City and passed down in Samukawa.
A 7-year-old girl carries a flower-decorated bucket and leads the mikoshi and dashi through the night.
The custom is said to involve serving the gods at the milestone age of 7, and local beliefs are reflected in the connections among the flower bucket, the child, the procession, and Munakata Shrine.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
