A ritual in Ikenoue, where participants seek purification in the winter waters of the Nagara River
Ikenoue Misogi Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, on the 2nd Saturday of December / Once a year
- Location
- Kuzukake Shrine ( site: right bank of the Nagara River)
- Area
- Gifu Prefecture・Gifu 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Ikenoue Misogi Festival begins at Kuzukake Shrine and heads to the Nagara River, where participants purify themselves in its clear winter waters. This conveys prayers to welcome the gods and the practice of misogi passed down through the local community.
About Ikenoue Misogi Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Monami File:Ikenoue Misogi Matsuri2007-07.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Monami File:Ikenoue Misogi Matsuri2007-04.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Monami File:Ikenoue Misogi Matsuri2007-01.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Ikenoue Misogi Festival is a Shinto ritual held every 2nd Saturday of December at Kuzukake Shrine in Ikenouecho, Gifu City.
As part of the ceremony to welcome the gods, participants enter the Nagara River to purify themselves and pray for good health and the fulfillment of their wishes.
The route from the shrine along the embankment to the Nagara River brings local beliefs together with life by the water.
There are also opportunities for members of the general public to join the misogi, which is centered on men observing yakudoshi, the traditional unlucky years.
Source: 池ノ上みそぎ祭 - Wikipedia / 池ノ上みそぎ祭｜イベント｜岐阜市観光ナビ - 岐阜観光コンベンション協会
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the misogi ritual, in which participants wearing fundoshi loincloths and hachimaki headbands process through the shrine and along the embankment before entering the winter waters of the Nagara River.
Men performing misogi, including general participants, form a procession toward the river and purify themselves in its clear waters.
In addition to the afternoon misogi for the general public, a ritual involving parishioners and other people connected with the shrine is held at night.
The sight of participants entering the river in the cold conveys the festival’s distinctive solemnity.
A ritual in Ikenoue, where participants seek purification in the winter waters of the Nagara River
What to expect
On the day, after the Misogi Hajime-sai ritual, purification rites for general participants and registration for general prayers begin, followed by the afternoon misogi for the general public.
Participants walk from the community center through the and along the embankment to the site where they enter the water on the right bank of the Nagara River.
A nighttime ritual involving parishioners and other people connected with the shrine is also scheduled after the afternoon ritual.
The schedule may change, so be sure to check the information provided on the day.
How to take part
General participants are accepted in connection with the general misogi ceremony in the afternoon.
Past information states that general participation on the day was permitted, with about 100 people accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
It is also stated that loincloths and headbands are provided free of charge to those who want them.
Check the latest information before the event for the 2026 registration process and capacity.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kuzukake Shrine (3-47 Ikenouecho, Gifu City).
The misogi site is on the right bank of the Nagara River, about 500 m downstream from Chusetsu Bridge.
- Train and bus
Take a Gifu Bus from JR Gifu Station or Meitetsu Gifu Station, get off at “Ikenoue,” then walk for about 5 minutes.
The journey is listed as taking about 20 minutes and costing 250 yen one way.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Address 3-47 Ikenouecho, Gifu City
Dates and season
It is usually held on the 2nd Saturday of December.
The official 2026 schedule page lists a page of plans for 2026, but does not give a specific date.
Check the latest published information for the date and the times of the day’s events.
Source: スケジュール – 池ノ上禊祭り
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 / Gifu City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The misogi site is on the bank of the Nagara River, where a ritual involving entering the winter waters is held.
If you watch, prioritize safety by the river and on the embankment, and do not obstruct the ritual or the participants’ route.
As no specific date has been announced for 2026, check the date and the schedule for the day before setting out.
There is no parking, and visitors are advised to use public transportation.
Nearby attractions
三甲美術館
岐阜県岐阜市にある美術館
加藤栄三・東一記念美術館
岐阜県岐阜市にある美術館
写真：Douggers at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
名和昆虫博物館
岐阜県岐阜市にある博物館
奥の細道むすびの地記念館
日本の岐阜県大垣市にある記念館
岐阜公園
岐阜市の公園
写真：Douggers at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
岐阜市歴史博物館
岐阜県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：Douggers at English Wikipedia / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
岐阜市科学館
岐阜県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
岐阜県美術館
岐阜県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
水の資料館
岐阜県岐阜市にある上水道に関する資料館
金神社
岐阜市にある神社
鵜飼資料園
岐阜県岐阜市にある長良川鵜飼に関する資料館
Origins and History of Ikenoue Misogi Festival
The Ikenoue Misogi Festival is said to have originated as a ceremony to welcome the gods and was once held on the last day of lunar calendar: October.
In 1534, misogi is said to have been performed in the large pond in front of the shrine. The festival was temporarily discontinued in Meiji 5, but later resumed.
In 1955, responsibility for organizing the festival shifted from the youth group to a festival committee led by the neighborhood association, and public participation was permitted.
The current schedule of the 2nd Saturday of December was established in 1996.
Official information
The Ikenoue Misogi Festival’s official website provides the festival schedule and information about its origins and history.
The 2026 schedule page has also been published.
Check the latest information on the official website for the date and details of the day’s events.
Ikenoue Misogi Festival at a Glance
The Ikenoue Misogi Festival is a winter ritual that starts at Kuzukake Shrine and proceeds to the Nagara River, where participants purify themselves.
Its distinctive features include a procession of participants wearing fundoshi loincloths and hachimaki headbands, and entering the Nagara River. There are also opportunities for the general public to participate.
From the Gifu Bus “Ikenoue” stop, the venue can be reached on foot.
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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