Moriyama’s Hi Matsuri, where giant dragon-shaped torches set the winter night sky ablaze
Hi Matsuri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The second Saturday of every January / Every year
- Location
- Katsube , Sumiyoshi Jinja
- Area
- Shiga Prefecture・Moriyama City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 20 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
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Hi Matsuri, where giant torches fashioned to resemble dragons are set alight at Sumiyoshi Jinja and Katsube Jinja in Moriyama City. As the young men’s shouts and drums ring out, prayers for good health and a bountiful harvest are entrusted to the flames.
About Hi Matsuri
Hi Matsuri is a traditional event passed down at Sumiyoshi Jinja and Katsube Jinja in Moriyama City.
Giant torches fashioned to resemble dragons are set alight to pray for good health and a bountiful harvest.
The festival is said to date back to the early Kamakura period and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shiga Prefecture.
The dragon legends passed down at the two shrines and the local young people’s role in lighting the fires are at the heart of the festival.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the lighting of the giant torches, which turn the night sky red.
At Sumiyoshi Jinja, flames are successively passed to 2 torches shaped like dragon heads. At Katsube Jinja, 12 torches, each about 5 meters long and weighing over 400 kilograms, are arranged in a semicircle.
At Katsube Jinja, the young men link arms as they shout, and can be seen being carried and dancing.
Taiko drums and the shouts of “Heeyo” and “Oisa” add to the spectacle of the flames.
Moriyama’s Hi Matsuri, where giant dragon-shaped torches set the winter night sky ablaze
What to expect
During the festival, the young men compete to seize the sacred fire inside a temporary hut. The man who gets the first flame rushes outside and transfers the fire to a torch.
At Sumiyoshi Jinja, 2 giant torches are lit one after another; at Katsube Jinja, 12 torches are arranged and lit simultaneously.
At Katsube Jinja, the young men carry the torches into the and perform movements such as linking arms in time with their shouts.
From preparations through the main event, local young people spend the year supporting the festival.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：無料
Location and access
- Venue and address
Katsube Jinja (1-8-8 Katsube, Moriyama), Sumiyoshi Jinja (152 Ukekecho, Moriyama).
- Train and bus
From Moriyama Station on the JR Biwako Line, Katsube Jinja is a 5-minute walk and Sumiyoshi Jinja is a 10-minute walk.
- Parking
Katsube Jinja has parking.
Source: 勝部神社 - 守山市観光物産協会
Address 1-8-8 Katsube, Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture; 152 Ukekecho, Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
The second Saturday of every January
- 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 Shiga Prefecture / Moriyama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
佐川美術館
滋賀県守山市にある博物館
Origins and History of Hi Matsuri
The origins of Hi Matsuri are said to lie in a healing legend associated with Emperor Tsuchimikado in the early Kamakura period.
According to the legend, the emperor recovered after a giant serpent or dragon living in Omi Province was slain.
It is said that the severed dragon’s head flew to Sumiyoshi Jinja and its body to Katsube Jinja, and each shrine has passed down its own version of the tradition.
Today, prayers for good health and a bountiful harvest are still offered by lighting the giant torches.
Official information
The Shiga Prefecture public information page introduces the venue and provides an overview of the festival.
A phone number for the Moriyama Tourism and Products Association is listed as a contact.
You can also check the two venues, their locations, and the usual time of year the festival is held.
Hi Matsuri at a Glance
Moriyama’s Hi Matsuri is a traditional event in which giant torches fashioned to resemble dragons are burned at Sumiyoshi Jinja and Katsube Jinja to pray for good health and a bountiful harvest.
Torches are lit at both shrines: 2 at Sumiyoshi Jinja and 12 at Katsube Jinja.
You can watch flames lighting the winter night sky amid the shouts, taiko drums, and bold movements of the young men.
The festival is held on the second Saturday of every January.
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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