A spring festival in Inuyama, with karakuri dashi bringing color to the castle town
Inuyama Festival
The 2026 edition of Inuyama Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/04/04 〜 2026/04/05Ended
- Season / frequency
- The first Saturday and Sunday of April / Once a year
- Location
- In front of Haritsuna Shrine and other locations (Inuyama Castle Square, Inuyama Castle Town)
- Area
- Aichi Prefecture・Inuyama City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h · 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Inuyama Festival is a traditional festival dating back to the Edo period, handed down as the annual festival of Haritsuna Shrine. 13 parade through Inuyama Castle Town, with karakuri puppet performances dedicated to the shrine and nighttime processions illuminated by lanterns.
About Inuyama Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: User:梅梢戯 File:犬山の町を巡行する車山、写真は梅梢戯 2013-08-30 10-28.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: Bariston File:Dashikarakuri.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Bariston File:Inuyamamatsuri1.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Inuyama Festival is a festival handed down as the annual festival of Haritsuna Shrine in Inuyama City.
13 three-tiered dashi and 3 parade floats make their way through the castle town, accompanied by flutes and drums as karakuri puppets are dedicated to the shrine.
Dating back to the Edo period, the festival continues to pass on local traditions through its dashi and parade floats.
In 2016, it was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element as one of the Yama, Hoko, and float festivals in Japan.
Source: 犬山祭 | イベント | 【公式】犬山観光ナビ
Festival highlights
The highlight is that each of the 13 dashi carries karakuri puppets performing a different act.
The dashi present karakuri performances at Haritsuna Shrine, and also perform a “donden,” in which levers are used to lift and turn the dashi, which weigh over about 3 tons.
The dashi parade among the cherry blossoms by day and with lanterns lit at night, offering different views at different times of day.
A spring festival in Inuyama, with karakuri dashi bringing color to the castle town
What to expect
The festival proceeds with the dashi setting out from their respective neighborhood storehouses and parading through Inuyama Castle Town.
During the Shigaku Festival, 13 dashi gather near Inuyama Castle Square, where karakuri performances are presented, followed by a nighttime procession with lanterns lit.
During the Hongaku Festival, the dashi gather in front of Haritsuna Shrine and, after the karakuri puppets and parade floats are dedicated in turn, parade in different directions.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
In front of Haritsuna Shrine and other locations.
The address listed in the basic information is 65-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama City.
- Train and bus
It is about a 20-minute walk from the west exit of Meitetsu Inuyama Station to Inuyama Castle Square, the main festival venue.
The walk to the area in front of Haritsuna Shrine is also listed as about 15 minutes.
- By car
Traffic restrictions will be in effect on the roads around Inuyama Castle on April 4, 2026 and the 5th.
Congestion is expected on nearby roads, so visitors are advised to use public transportation.
- Parking
Car parking may be full early in the day.
Minibuses and larger buses can use Inuyama Castle Parking Lot 2 (Uchida Disaster Prevention Park) on both days, but reservations are not accepted and parking is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Address 65-1 Inuyama Kitakoken, Inuyama City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Inuyama Festival was scheduled to take place with the Shigaku Festival on April 4 (Saturday) and the Hongaku Festival on April 5 (Sunday).
On both days, the dashi depart from their respective storehouses from 8 a.m. and parade through the castle town.
At night, the dashi parade with their lanterns lit, and they are scheduled to return to their respective neighborhoods by 9:45 p.m. on both days.
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 Aichi Prefecture / Inuyama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
As traffic congestion on nearby roads and at parking lots is expected on festival days, visitors are advised to use public transportation, such as Meitetsu trains.
Vehicle traffic restrictions are in place while the dashi are parading, and pedestrian access may also be restricted depending on crowd conditions.
At the site, follow the instructions of the staff directing visitors, and do not fly radio-controlled helicopters or drones without the organizers’ permission.
Nearby attractions
Near the venue are Haritsuna Shrine, where offerings are made during the Inuyama Festival, and Inuyama Castle, a National Treasure.
Inuyama Castle Town was developed alongside the construction of Inuyama Castle. It is described as an area whose street layout remains almost the same as it was in the Edo period.
For those interested in karakuri culture, the IMASEN Inuyama Karakuri Museum Tamaya Shobei Workshop is also recommended as a nearby attraction, where you can see up close the dashi karakuri puppets that were once mounted on the dashi.
リトルワールド
世界の家と暮らしをテーマとした野外民族学博物館
博物館明治村
愛知県犬山市にある野外博物館
大縣神社
愛知県犬山市にある名神大社
日本モンキーセンター
愛知県犬山市にある動物園
犬山城
愛知県犬山市にある城郭
Origins and History of Inuyama Festival
The Inuyama Festival began as a festival of Haritsuna Shrine, which enshrines the local tutelary deity.
It is said to have originated in 1635 (Kanei 12), when a horse tower and a tea-picking parade float were presented. In 1650 (Keian 3), the festival grew in scale with the encouragement of the lord of Inuyama Castle.
The parade of floats that dates back to the festival’s beginnings is still carried on by 3 neighborhoods. Even after the festival developed into one centered on dashi, it has been passed down as a local tradition.
Official information
The Inuyama Tourism Navi event page provides information on the festival dates, event schedule, dashi routes, traffic restrictions, pedestrian restrictions, and parking for large buses.
According to the Inuyama Festival Preservation Society, changes to the Shigaku Festival due to weather have also been announced for the 392nd Inuyama Festival in 2026.
The Society’s announcements are also a source to check for updates on the day of the festival.
Inuyama Festival at a Glance
The Inuyama Festival is a spring festival centered on dashi and karakuri performances dedicated to the shrine, held as the annual festival of Haritsuna Shrine.
13 dashi parade through the castle town, presenting different scenes by day among the cherry blossoms and at night in the glow of lanterns.
In 2026, it was scheduled for April 4 and the 5th. You can reach the venue from the west exit of Inuyama Station, but be prepared for traffic restrictions and congestion.
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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