A festival where Iba’s prayers come alive as mikoshi race down a steep slope
Iba no Sakaoroshi
The 2026 edition of Iba no Sakaoroshi has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/04Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on May 4 / Once a year
- Location
- The slope from Kinugamine to the large gate at the foot of the mountain
- Area
- Shiga Prefecture・Higashiomi 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Iba no Sakaoroshi is a ritual in which 3 are brought down along a steep slope from Kinugamine Jinja to the large torii gate in Iba, Higashiomi City. It has been passed down as a festival of Iba that connects the mountain, village, and waterside.
About Iba no Sakaoroshi
Iba no Sakaoroshi is a spring ritual held in Iba, Higashiomi City.
The mikoshi are brought down from Kinugamine Jinja, on the mountainside of Mount Kinugasa, to the large torii gate at the foot of the mountain.
As a ritual connected to Iba’s waterside landscape, it is said to express a practice of faith in which the mountain deity is transferred to the mikoshi, taken through the village, and welcomed at the inland lake.
Set on a steep slope, this festival offers a sense of local life and prayer.
Source: 東近江市の日本遺産｜東近江市ホームページ / 伊庭の坂下し祭 | 滋賀県観光情報［公式観光サイト］滋賀・びわ湖のすべてがわかる！
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the sight of 3 mikoshi descending the steep slope from Kinugamine Jinja to the large torii gate.
The slope is about 500 meters long and includes sheer cliffs and several difficult sections.
Young parishioners drag the mikoshi down while shouting, creating an intense atmosphere unique to the mountain slope.
When watching, it is important to observe the ritual from a safe place.
A festival where Iba’s prayers come alive as mikoshi race down a steep slope
What to expect
During the ritual, young parishioners drag 3 mikoshi down from Kinugamine Jinja.
The mikoshi pass through difficult sections of the steep slope on their way to the large torii gate at the foot of the mountain.
Guides to Iba’s waterside landscape also describe how, after the descent, the mikoshi are taken through the village and welcomed at the inland lake.
Visitors experience the festival by watching the mikoshi make their way down from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain.
How to take part
The mikoshi are dragged down by young parishioners; no information is provided about general visitors taking part in the ritual.
Visitors watch as the mikoshi make their way down from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain.
As you will be visiting the village of Iba, where people live, please follow local guidance on where you may go.
Visitors should watch the ritual without disrupting the community’s activities.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The event takes place on the slope from Kinugamine Jinja (Iba, Higashiomi City) to the large torii gate.
- Train and bus
From Notogawa Station on the JR Biwako Line, it is a 20-minute walk.
Information about bicycle rentals is also available at the east exit of JR Notogawa Station.
- By car
If traveling by car, you can use the parking lots at Kinsetsukan and Shogenji Temple.
- Parking
Please use the parking lots at Kinsetsukan and Shogenji Temple.
Groups arriving by bus must reserve in advance.
Address Ibacho, Higashiomi City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The event was scheduled to be held on May 4 in 2026.
The mikoshi were scheduled to depart from the mountaintop—the ritual known as miya-—at around 12:30 p.m. and arrive at the large torii gate at the foot of the mountain at around 4 p.m.
The event is held annually on May 4, but please follow local guidance on the day regarding the schedule and viewing areas.
Source: 【東近江市】お神輿の大鳥居到着時刻は午後4時ごろを予定。数百年続く近江の奇祭「伊庭の坂下し祭」が5月４日に繖峰三神社にて斎行予定です | 号外NET 東近江市 · Omihachiman City
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 Shiga Prefecture / Higashiomi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The mountain path taken by the mikoshi is steep, with sheer cliffs and difficult sections, so it is important to wear comfortable, nonslip clothing and footwear.
If heading to the shrine on the mountainside, watch your footing carefully.
Iba is also a place where people live, so do not enter the village or festival areas without permission, and follow local instructions while viewing the event.
Groups arriving by bus must reserve parking in advance.
Nearby attractions
Around the festival, you can explore the village scenery, including the Iba River and its branching waterways, kawato washing spots, and rice-field boats.
Local guided tours are also available, visiting places such as Iba Castle Ruins, Myorakuji Temple, the former Funasho landing, Konpira Shrine and the former port, and Ohama Shrine and Niōdō Hall.
The tour lasts about 2 hours and requires advance booking.
This is an opportunity to learn not only about the setting of the festival but also about life in Iba, shaped by its relationship with water.
観峰館
滋賀県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
阿賀神社
滋賀県東近江市小脇町にある神社
Origins and History of Iba no Sakaoroshi
Iba no Sakaoroshi is a festival passed down alongside Iba’s waterside landscape.
The mikoshi carry the mountain deity down a steep slope, through the village, and to the inland lake. This sequence offers a glimpse of a form of worship that connects the mountain, village, and waterside.
Recent accounts describe it as a festival that has continued for several hundred years, and also as an unusual festival held for more than 800 years.
It is presented as a ritual that continues to this day, without giving multiple accounts of the details of its origins.
Official information
For event information, see the “Iba no Sakaoroshi Festival” listing from Shiga Prefecture Tourism Information.
The Higashiomi City website provides information about Iba’s waterside landscape and the Sakaoroshi ritual, as well as guidance on parking and access restrictions for visitors.
For inquiries about the local ritual or viewing the event, you can use the contact details listed for the Higashiomi City Tourism Association or Iba Town Residents’ Association.
Iba no Sakaoroshi at a Glance
Iba no Sakaoroshi is a ritual in Iba in which 3 mikoshi are dragged down a steep slope from Kinugamine Jinja to the large torii gate.
The roughly 500-meter slope includes sheer cliffs and difficult sections. The sight of the mikoshi moving along to the young men’s shouts is one of the highlights.
The site can be reached on foot from JR Notogawa Station; if traveling by car, use the designated parking lots.
Please view the event with care, bearing in mind that the ritual takes place on mountain paths and in places where people live.
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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