Go-o Shrine’s Inoko Festival, where Heian mochi-pounding meets the sounds of gagaku
Inoko Festival
The 2026 edition of Inoko Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/11/01Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on November 1 / Every year
- Location
- Go-o Shrine
- Area
- Kyoto Prefecture・Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 min · bullet 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Admission is free. Special viewing area: voluntary offering of at least ¥3,000; participation in the tribute procession: voluntary offering of at least ¥1,000
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
A traditional event at Go-o Shrine that recreates the Inoko mochi ritual once performed at the imperial court during the Heian period. The event features a mochi-pounding accompanied by gagaku and Heian-period attire, as well as a procession presenting the mochi to Kyoto Imperial Palace.
About Inoko Festival
Inoko Festival is a shinji that recreates the ritual of pounding Inoko mochi, inspired by the annual court event called “Ogen’i” held during the Heian period.
It has roots in a Chinese folk belief that eating mochi on the day and hour of the boar in lunar calendar: October would prevent illness.
At Go-o Shrine, the festival is also associated with the legend that a boar protected Wake no Kiyomaro.
Festival highlights
Highlights include the “Otsuki” ritual, in which court ladies in Heian-period attire and shrine priests appear and pound Inoko mochi to the sound of gagaku court music.
Five court ladies in brightly colored attire prepare the mortar and mallets, and a shrine priest demonstrates the gestures of pounding mochi with a mallet.
After the ritual, a tribute procession carrying Inoko mochi to Kyoto Imperial Palace also takes place.
Go-o Shrine’s Inoko Festival, where Heian mochi-pounding meets the sounds of gagaku
What to expect
The festival begins with a ritual in which Inoko mochi is pounded and then offered before the deity.
A procession dressed in Heian-period attire then heads to Kyoto Imperial Palace to present the mochi.
After returning to the shrine, Inoko mochi is also distributed to general visitors, and prayers are offered for health and protection from illness.
How to take part
In 2026, you can take part in the tribute procession to Kyoto Imperial Palace.
Participation requires a voluntary offering of at least ¥1,000, and registration is available on the day.
In 2026, the special viewing area includes participation in the procession and requires advance registration with a voluntary offering of at least ¥3,000.
The special viewing area is listed as accepting applications in person at the shrine or by phone, on a first-come, first-served basis, from October 13 through the 23rd.
The general viewing area is available for registration on the day, and viewing is free.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Go-o Shrine, 385 Sakurazuru-cho, Karasuma-dori Shimodachiuri-sagaru, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
- Train and bus
6-minute walk from Marutamachi Station on the Karasuma Subway Line / A short walk from the “Karasuma Shimodachiuri” city bus stop
Address 〒602-8011 385 Sakurazuru-cho, Karasuma-dori Shimodachiuri-sagaru, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
Dates and season
2026年の開催案内（掲載日程は終了しています）
2026年11月1日（日）17時から開催予定として案内されていました。
Registration is listed as starting at 4 p.m.
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 Kyoto Prefecture / Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Go-o Shrine, the venue, is also listed as a nearby sightseeing spot.
Nearby attractions listed include the Masutomi Geological Museum, Adachi Kumihimo Museum, Yamada Matsu Incense Wood Co., and Kyoto Imperial Palace.
京都タワー
京都府京都市下京区にある塔
京都国立博物館
京都市にある国立博物館
京都国立近代美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都国際マンガミュージアム
日本の京都府京都市中京区にある日本最大の漫画博物館
京都市美術館
京都市左京区岡崎にある美術館
京都府立植物園
京都市左京区にある植物園
京都鉄道博物館
京都府京都市下京区にある鉄道博物館
Fushimi Inari Taisha
京都市伏見区にある神社
元離宮二条城
京都市にある城郭及び元皇室関連施設
Yasaka Shrine
京都市東山区にある神社
円山公園
京都市にある公園
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
京都市上京区にある神社
Origins and History of Inoko Festival
Inoko Festival originates in a Heian-period court ritual in which the emperor pounded mochi himself on the day of the boar in the lunar October, distributed it at court, and prayed for good health.
In 1960, the shrine, closely associated with boars, revived the festival in connection with the legend that a boar protected Wake no Kiyomaro, one of Go-o Shrine’s enshrined deities.
Today, the court’s Inoko mochi-pounding shinji is passed down with its costumes and procession.
Official information
Go-o Shrine’s official website is listed.
For inquiries, contact Go-o Shrine at 075-441-5458.
Inoko Festival at a Glance
Inoko Festival is an Inoko mochi shinji that recreates a Heian-period court event.
Highlights include the “Otsuki” ceremony performed by court ladies in Heian-period attire and shrine priests, gagaku, and a procession presenting mochi to Kyoto Imperial Palace. In 2026, the event is listed as taking place at Go-o Shrine from 5 p.m. on November 1.
Options include a free general viewing area, a special viewing area requiring advance registration, and participation in the procession with registration on the day.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
