Hida-Furukawa’s spring festival, celebrated with the Okoshi Daiko and magnificent dashi floats
Furukawa Festival
The 2026 edition of Furukawa Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/04/19 〜 2026/04/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on April 19 and the 20th / Every year
- Location
- Downtown Furukawa, Hida City
- Area
- Gifu Prefecture・Hida City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h–2 h 30 min · 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Furukawa Festival fills the streets of Hida-Furukawa with the powerful Okoshi Daiko drums and magnificent floats. The procession and performing arts offered to the shrine are also part of the festival, bringing you close to traditions passed down through the community.
About Furukawa Festival
The Furukawa Festival is the annual festival of Keta Wakamiya Shrine, held every year on April 19 and the 20th in Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture.
The festival consists of the mikoshi procession, dashi procession, and Okoshi Daiko—events that combine quiet solemnity with spirited energy.
The Okoshi Daiko and dashi events are designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan and are also inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The entire townscape of Hida-Furukawa, with its white-walled storehouses and the Seto River, becomes the festival grounds.
Source: ２０２６年飛騨古川祭 | コラム | 飛騨市公式観光サイト「飛騨の旅」 / 令和8年「飛騨古川祭」（随時更新） - 飛騨市公式ウェブサイト
Festival highlights
The main highlights are the Okoshi Daiko on the night of April 19 and the dashi procession, with intricately crafted floats traveling through town.
Men carrying smaller attached drums approach the tower bearing the large drum, and engage in fierce clashes at intersections and other spots.
On the 20th, the dashi gather in one place, and karakuri puppets, children's kabuki, and are also performed.
The night festival, when lantern-decorated dashi move through the town, is another scene that brings the festival to a close.
Source: 飛騨古川祭の見どころ完全ガイド！ | コラム | 飛騨市公式観光サイト「飛騨の旅」
Hida-Furukawa’s spring festival, celebrated with the Okoshi Daiko and magnificent dashi floats
What to expect
On the 19th, after a religious ceremony at Keta Wakamiya Shrine, the mikoshi procession makes its way through town, and the dashi are gathered in formation in each neighborhood.
In the evening, the Departure Ceremony is held at the festival square, and the Okoshi Daiko drums parade through town.
On the 20th, the mikoshi departs from the , the dashi line up at the festival square and along the streets, and performances offered to the shrine include lion dances, karakuri puppets, and children's kabuki.
In the evening, a night festival takes place with lantern-decorated dashi.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Downtown Furukawa, Hida City, Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It is about a 5-minute walk from Hida-Furukawa Station on the JR Takayama Main Line to the Furukawa Festival area.
From Takayama Station, the trip takes about 20 minutes on the JR Takayama Main Line or about 30 minutes by Nohi Bus.
- By car
Nearby parking lots are expected to be crowded, and may be full at certain times.
Use of public transportation is recommended.
- Parking
Parking is listed at Furukawa Elementary School, Furukawa Junior High School, the Training Center, Alps Pharmaceutical Industry, the Cultural Center parking lot, the Hida City Hall parking lot, and the Hida-Furukawa Station East parking lot.
Free shuttle buses run from Furukawa Junior High School to Hida City Hall.
Address Furukawa-cho, Hida City, Gifu Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
- Dates
2026-04-19 to 2026-04-20.
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 Gifu Prefecture / Hida City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Okoshi Daiko features a large drum and smaller attached drums approaching one another and clashing at intersections and other spots. Watch from a safe place along the route.
Take care not to stand in the middle of the road.
The dashi float procession is canceled in rainy weather, but the Okoshi Daiko takes place even in the rain.
Parking lots are expected to be crowded or full, so visitors are advised to use trains or buses.
Source: 古川祭 | イベント | 飛騨市公式観光サイト「飛騨の旅」
Nearby attractions
Places to visit in Hida-Furukawa, the setting for the festival, include the Seto River and its white-walled storehouses, the Hida-Furukawa Festival Exhibition Hall, and the Hida Takumi Culture Hall.
The Hida-Furukawa Festival Exhibition Hall introduces the Hida Furukawa Festival and the Okoshi Daiko, helping visitors learn more about the festival.
Suggested stops on guided tours also include Mishima Candle Shop, Watanabe Sake Brewery, Kaba Sake Brewery, Honkoji Temple, Enkoji Temple, and Shinshuji Temple.
Source: 古川祭｜観光スポット｜岐阜県観光公式サイト 「岐阜の旅ガイド」 / 飛騨古川観光ガイド | 体験 | 飛騨市公式観光サイト「飛騨の旅」
Origins and History of Furukawa Festival
The Okoshi Daiko is said to have originated as a “wake-up drum” or “announcement drum” that signaled the start of the festival. In the early morning, people beat the drum as they made their way around town.
It is explained that the drum grew larger in Hida-Furukawa, taking the form it has today.
Children's kabuki was revived after more than 110 years, having been discontinued; its revival was prompted by major renovations to the Byakkotai dashi in Showa 59.
Official information
For official information, see the Hida City website’s “2026 Hida Furukawa Festival (updated as information becomes available)” and the Furukawa Festival guide on Hida City’s official tourism website, Hida no Tabi.
Information includes the 2026 event schedule, transportation, parking, and times for performances offered to the shrine.
For inquiries, contact the Hida City Tourism Association, a general incorporated association.
Furukawa Festival at a Glance
The Furukawa Festival is a spring festival passed down through the streets of Hida-Furukawa as the annual festival of Keta Wakamiya Shrine.
Enjoy the powerful Okoshi Daiko drum clashes, the magnificent dashi floats gathered in formation, and the mikoshi procession all at once.
The 2026 festival was scheduled for April 19 and the 20th, with karakuri puppets, children's kabuki, and lion dances offered to the shrine on the 20th.
Crowds are expected around the venue, so public transportation is a convenient option.
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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