Hino’s spring festival, where mikoshi and dashi connect a historic town
Hino Festival
The 2026 edition of Hino Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/02 〜 2026/05/03Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on May 2 and the 3rd / Every year
- Location
- Eve of the festival: The stretch about 300 meters south of Satsu-no-tsuji in Ōkubo, Hino Town / Main festival: The main street between the Murai and Watamuki Shrine approach and Uenoda and Hibarino
- Area
- Shiga Prefecture・Hino Town(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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The procession of the miko and and the parade of come together in this spring festival, which carries on Hino Town’s faith and community culture.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Konayanoneko File:日野祭 綿向神社境内曳山の並び1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Konayanoneko File:日野祭の曳山宮入り道中風景1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Konayanoneko File:日野祭の曳山宮入り道中風景2.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Hino Festival
The Hino Festival is a spring annual festival held at Umamioka Watamuki Shrine in Hino Town, Shiga Prefecture.
It is said to have a history of more than 850 years and is designated a Shiga Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property under the name “Hino Festival.”
A major feature is not only the procession of lavishly decorated dashi, but also the sacred procession linking the main shrine and the , led by the miko and mikoshi.
Several areas of Hino Town take part, keeping the town’s culture and faith alive today.
Source: 日野祭 | 日野町役場
Festival highlights
Highlights include decorated dashi making their way through town and gathering in the on the main festival day.
In 2026, 13 dashi took part in the procession, and 12 of them entered the shrine grounds.
On the festival eve, lantern-lit dashi and festival music brighten the town at night.
The viewing windows built into homes along the procession route are also known as a distinctive feature of the Hino Festival.
Source: 日野祭 - Wikipedia
Hino’s spring festival, where mikoshi and dashi connect a historic town
What to expect
On the eve of the festival, each neighborhood’s dashi are brought out to storehouses and street corners, where their lanterns are lit and festival music is played.
The main festival day begins with the miko and shiba entering the shrine grounds, followed by the mikoshi and dashi gathering there.
Afterward, a procession led by the miko, carrying the mikoshi and other sacred objects, heads to the otabisho, then returns to the shrine after the rites.
At dusk, the dashi are lit and return to their neighborhoods accompanied by festival music.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The Yoimiya takes place along the approximately 300-meter stretch south of Fuda-no-Tsuji in Okubo, Hino Town. The main festival takes place on the main street between the approach to Himuki Shrine in Murai and Hibarino in Uenoda.
The addresses are around Okubo, Murai, and Uenoda, Hino Town.
- Train and bus
The Ohmi Railway Bus Nippa Line operated on a detour between Yokomachi and Hinogawa Dam Entrance from the evening onward on May 2, 2026 and all day on May 3.
- By car
Some roads were closed on both festival days.
Address Ōkubo, Murai, and Uenoda areas, Hino Town, Gamō District, Shiga Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the Yoimiya was scheduled for May 2 (Saturday), followed by the main festival on May 3 (Sunday).
The Yoimiya was held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. along the approximately 300-meter stretch south of Fuda-no-Tsuji in Okubo.
The main festival was held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the main street between the approach to Himuki Shrine in Murai and Hibarino in Uenoda.
It is held annually on May 2 and the 3rd.
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 / Hino Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Traffic restrictions were in place on some roads on both festival days in 2026.
The Ohmi Railway Bus Nippa Line also operates on detours from the evening onward or all day, so if you travel by bus, be aware that the route differs from the usual one.
The main festival takes place across a wide area from the shrine approach to the main street. It has also been announced that the dashi procession may be changed depending on the weather and other conditions.
Nearby attractions
Places associated with the festival include Kuchinomiya Shrine, an otabisho of Umamioka Watamuki Shrine, as well as Nishinomiya Shrine and Gosha Shrine.
Kuchinomiya Shrine is the otabisho in Hibarino, Uenoda, and the destination of the procession on the main festival day.
An eve-of-festival ceremony is held at Nishinomiya Shrine, while gatherings related to selecting the miko and organizing the festival take place at Gosha Shrine.
Along with the festival route, these places offer a sense of the connections between faith and the community of Hino Town.
近江日野商人館
日本の滋賀県蒲生郡日野町にある資料館
Origins and History of Hino Festival
The Hino Festival is said to have a history of more than 850 years, but many records were lost in a fire at the shrine, and its origins are uncertain.
Among surviving documents, a record from 1424 is considered the oldest reference to the Hino Festival.
The festival was temporarily suspended during the Sengoku period and revived in 1557; the dashi developed from the 17th to the 18th centuries.
In 1985, it was designated a Shiga Prefecture Intangible Folk Cultural Property under the name “Hino Hikiyama Festival.”
Official information
Information from Hino Town Hall covers the 2026 Hino Festival dates and venue, the dashi procession, traffic restrictions, and bus detours.
Listed contacts include the Commerce and Tourism Division of Hino Town Hall for tourism inquiries and the Hino Tourism Association for traffic restrictions.
Hino Festival at a Glance
The Hino Festival is a spring annual festival in Hino Town that brings together the procession of the miko and mikoshi and the parade of lavishly decorated dashi.
Highlights include the lanterns and festival music on the eve, as well as the shrine entry and procession to the otabisho on the main festival day.
In 2026, the festival was held on May 2 and the 3rd, with 13 dashi in procession.
Traffic restrictions and bus detours were in effect, so it is important to check the festival area and traffic information before visiting.
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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