A spring festival in Kirishima, where jingling horses and dancers move to the music
Hatsuuma Festival (Kagoshima Jingu Shrine)
The 2026 edition of Hatsuuma Festival (Kagoshima Jingu Shrine) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/03/08Ended
- Season / frequency
- The Sunday following day 18 of lunar month 1 / Every year
- Location
- Kagoshima Jingu Shrine and surrounding area
- Area
- Kagoshima Prefecture・Kirishima City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 20 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine, featuring horses and dancers performing to drums and shamisen.
About Hatsuuma Festival (Kagoshima Jingu Shrine)
The Hatsuuma Festival is a traditional event held at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine that heralds the arrival of spring in southern Kyushu.
Horses adorned with strings of bells and groups of dancers perform dances to the accompaniment of drums, shamisen, and other instruments.
The festival has been passed down as an occasion to pray for household safety, abundant harvests, and protection from misfortune. It is also a showcase for local performing arts that represent Kirishima City.
Source: 鹿児島県霧島市｜初午祭 / 鹿児島県／十八日の馬（鈴かけ馬踊り）
Festival highlights
The highlight is the horse dance, in which about 20 bell-adorned horses move together with large groups of dancers.
The horses wear bells on their chests and saddles decorated with flowers, brocade, and other adornments. They shake their heads and stamp their feet to the sound of drums, shamisen, and bells.
Dancers in matching costumes follow behind, creating a unique scene as horses and people move along the shrine approach to the music.
A spring festival in Kirishima, where jingling horses and dancers move to the music
What to expect
At the festival, dancers and musicians follow behind the horses as they parade along the approach to the shrine, presenting a horse dance.
The horses perform intricate steps to the accompaniment of drums, shamisen, and bells, while the dancers perform to “The Song of the Horse on the 18th.”
The 2026 schedule showed events taking place at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine and in the surrounding area from morning through afternoon.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kagoshima Jingu Shrine and surrounding area (2496-1 Uchi, Hayato-cho, Kirishima City)
- Train and bus
About a 15-minute walk from JR Hayato Station.
- By car
About 15 minutes from Kagoshima Airport, or about 5 minutes via the Hayato Road from the Hayato-Nishi interchange on the Higashi-Kyushu Expressway.
Traffic restrictions are in place on nearby roads on the day of the event.
As congestion is expected, visitors are advised to use public transportation whenever possible.
Source: 【2026】鹿児島神宮 初午祭 | イベント | 【公式】鹿児島県観光サイト かごしまの旅
Address 2496-1 Uchi, Hayato-cho, Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Hatsuuma Festival was held on March 8 (Sun).
It ran from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine and in the surrounding area.
In most years, it takes place on the Sunday following day 18 of lunar month 1.
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 Kagoshima Prefecture / Kirishima City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The 2026 event was scheduled to go ahead in light rain.
Traffic restrictions are in place around Kagoshima Jingu Shrine during the festival, and roads are expected to be congested. If you plan to drive, check the areas affected by the restrictions.
When watching the horse dance or procession, follow the guidance provided and take care not to obstruct the horses or dancers.
Nearby attractions
Places of interest around the festival venue include Kagoshima Jingu Shrine, Hayatozuka, the Hayatozuka Historic Site Museum, Hinatayama Saigodon Village, and Hinatayama Onsen Park.
Hinatayama Onsen Center and Saigodon-yu are also listed as nearby attractions.
These are listed as places to visit around Kirishima City, where the Hatsuuma Festival is held.
松下美術館
鹿児島県霧島市にある美術館
隼人塚史跡館
鹿児島県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
霧島神宮
鹿児島県霧島市にある神社
鹿児島県上野原縄文の森
鹿児島県霧島市にある歴史公園、博物館
鹿児島神宮
鹿児島県霧島市隼人町内にある神社
Origins and History of Hatsuuma Festival (Kagoshima Jingu Shrine)
There are several accounts of the origins of the Hatsuuma Festival.
A legend says that during the Muromachi period, Shimazu Takahisa and others dreamed of the Horse-Headed Kannon. Inspired by the dream, they built a Kannon hall and prayed for the protection of horses and cattle and for abundant harvests.
Another account says the festival began when people who had raised the shrine’s sacred horse offered it to the shrine once it had grown. Over time, the horse dance also became associated with prayers for protection from misfortune, celebration of milestones, and business prosperity.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Official information
Event information is available on Kirishima City’s official website under “Hatsuuma Festival.”
Information is provided on the venue, event dates and times, traffic restrictions, and related materials.
A link to Kagoshima Jingu Shrine’s official page is also provided.
Hatsuuma Festival (Kagoshima Jingu Shrine) at a Glance
The Hatsuuma Festival is a traditional event in Kirishima City, held at Kagoshima Jingu Shrine, where horses adorned with jingling bells and groups of dancers perform dances to the accompaniment of drums and shamisen.
The festival carries wishes for household safety, abundant harvests, and protection from misfortune. A major highlight is the unusual dance in which horses and people move as one.
In 2026, it was held on March 8, and traffic restrictions were in place around the venue.
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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