Hino’s spring festival, adorned with bamboo strips and thin paper, praying for a bountiful harvest
Hino’s Hoinobori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Hie Shrine (Ōkubo)
- 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Hino’s Hoinobori are made by decorating bamboo strips with ho’i crafted from white or pink thin paper, then letting them hang like weeping cherry blossoms. At the Minamiyamaō Festival, these splendid decorations are dedicated with prayers for a bountiful harvest.
About Hino’s Hoinobori
Hino’s Hoinobori is a tradition passed down in Hino Town, Shiga Prefecture.
At the spring grand , the Minamiyamaō Festival, the greatest number of Hoinobori are dedicated among the events featuring Hino’s Hoinobori.
In Heisei 12, Hino’s Hoinobori was designated a Shiga Prefecture-selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Festival highlights
Hoinobori are made by attaching “ho’i,” crafted from white or pink thin paper, to slender strips of split bamboo, then letting them hang from the tops of banners like weeping cherry blossoms.
Each bamboo strip is made from 48 slender pieces of split bamboo, wrapped in green paper while holding the stems of approximately 1,500 ho’i made beforehand.
At the Minamiyamaō Festival, many of these splendid Hoinobori are displayed and dedicated.
Hino’s spring festival, adorned with bamboo strips and thin paper, praying for a bountiful harvest
What to expect
Hoinobori are made by attaching ho’i decorations crafted from thin paper to bamboo strips and wrapping them in green paper.
The completed Hoinobori are dedicated at the Minamiyamaō Festival to pray for a bountiful harvest.
Records note that local people gathered beneath the Hoinobori at the dedication site to enjoy packed lunches and conversation.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Hie Shrine (Ōkubo)
Event venue 滋賀県日野町 日枝神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
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)
Nearby attractions
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’s Hoinobori
In Heisei 12, Hino’s Hoinobori was designated a Shiga Prefecture-selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
The Minamiyamaō Festival is one of the events featuring Hino’s Hoinobori, and is introduced as the reisai at which the greatest number of Hoinobori are dedicated.
There are no records that can be verified about the festival’s origins, when it began, or how it has changed over time.
Official information
Hino Town Office, “Photos of Hino (Reiwa 7 April)”
Hino’s Hoinobori at a Glance
Hino’s Hoinobori is a traditional event in Hino Town, featuring flower-like decorations made from bamboo strips and thin paper that hang from the tops of banners.
At the Minamiyamaō Festival, the greatest number of Hoinobori are dedicated among the events featuring Hino’s Hoinobori.
Hoinobori carry prayers for a bountiful harvest, and in Heisei 12 they were designated a Shiga Prefecture-selected Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
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
