A Nishinoshima festival where local prayers live on through dance and children's sumo
The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Mid-October in even-numbered years / Held in even-numbered years
- Location
- Hiyoshi Shrine (Urago area)
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Nishinoshima Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A of the Garden Dance, the Divine Sumo, and , passed down at Hiyoshi Shrine in Urago, Nishinoshima Town. You can watch distinctive local festival performances, including the child wrestlers' match and Jippō Hairei.
About The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine
The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine is a traditional performing art presented at the annual festival of Hiyoshi Shrine in Urago, Nishinoshima Town, Shimane Prefecture.
The annual festival features 3 performances: the Garden Dance, the Divine Sumo, and dengaku.
The Garden Dance is performed by 6 people, while the dengaku is also known as Jippō Hairei; it has been passed down as a local festival performing art.
Source: 日吉神社「庭の舞」「十方拝礼」｜島根県立古代出雲歴史博物館
Festival highlights
Highlights include the Garden Dance, performed by 6 people; the Divine Sumo, featuring child wrestlers; and the dengaku performance Jippō Hairei, performed by 12 dancers.
In the Divine Sumo, 2 child wrestlers perform the shikiri behind the main hall, then race back to the shrine buildings.
It is also distinctive in that the match is held 2 times, ending in 1 win and 1 loss, and the side that wins first is used to divine whether the harvest or the fishing catch will be good.
A Nishinoshima festival where local prayers live on through dance and children's sumo
What to expect
The festival begins with the 6-person Garden Dance, followed by the Divine Sumo featuring child wrestlers, and then the dengaku performance of Jippō Hairei.
Jippō Hairei is a dance accompanied by gestures of paying homage to the 10 directions and by calls.
Its sections are “Chūmonguchi,” “Sutten-dei,” “Ko-zasara,” “Sō-odori,” and “Chūmonguchi.”
Location and access
- Venue and address
Hiyoshi Shrine (Urago area).
Source: イベント情報 | 西ノ島町観光協会 / 西ノ島町の主な祭・行事 | しまねまちなび
Event venue 島根県西ノ島町 日吉神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 is an even-numbered year, and the Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine is scheduled for the middle of October.
The festival includes Shinto rites, Jippō Hairei, the Divine Sumo, and the Garden Dance.
Source: 島根県のイベント | イベコ
Accommodation and hotels PR
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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 Shimane Prefecture / Nishinoshima Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine
According to tradition, Hiyoshi Shrine was founded by Mano Sōgen, lord of Mano Estate in Ōmi Province, who fled the Genpei conflict with his entire clan and retinue, came to this area, and transferred the local guardian deity here.
The Garden Dance is thought to have originated in the dance Azuma-asobi, based on similarities in its chants and other features.
The festival performing arts are designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Official information
You can check the event information from the Nishinoshima Town Tourism Association for details on when and where it is held.
The Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo also has a video introducing the Garden Dance, the Divine Sumo, and dengaku.
The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine at a Glance
The Garden Dance at Hiyoshi Shrine is a traditional performing art presented at the annual festival of Hiyoshi Shrine in Urago, Nishinoshima Town, and consists of the Garden Dance, the Divine Sumo, and dengaku.
Highlights include the Divine Sumo, in which the outcome between the child wrestlers is used to divine the harvest and the fishing catch, and Jippō Hairei, performed by 12 dancers.
The 2026 event is scheduled for mid-October.
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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