A spring festival bringing color to Ishido’s streets by day and night with 11 flower-decorated floats
Ishido Hikiyama Festival
The 2026 edition of Ishido Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/04/29Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on April 29 / Every year
- Location
- Oyabe City Community Plaza parking lot (Festival Square) and other locations throughout the Ishido district of Oyabe City
- Area
- Toyama Prefecture・Oyabe 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Age restrictions
- trial ride: ages 3 through elementary school age; parent or guardian must accompany the child
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional spring festival in the Ishido district of Oyabe City, where 11 flower-decorated floats parade through the city streets. Enjoy the floats passed down through the community, from their daytime gathering to the lantern-covered dashi illuminated at night.
About Ishido Hikiyama Festival
The Ishido Hikiyama Festival is the spring festival of Ishido Atago Shrine, held every year on April 29 in the Ishido district of Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture.
Dating back to the mid-Edo period, 11 flower-decorated floats parade through the city streets.
Pullers from each neighborhood, dressed in , draw the dashi, while festival music played on flutes, drums, and gongs adds to the atmosphere along the route.
This traditional event, one of Oyabe City’s signature festivals, has been passed down alongside the townscape.
Source: 令和８年度 石動曳山祭 | 小矢部市観光協会 / 石動曳山祭 | イベント | 【公式】富山県の観光/旅行サイト「とやま観光ナビ」
Festival highlights
Highlights include the opening ceremony, when all 11 flower-decorated floats gather in one place, and the procession as it changes in character from day to night.
The flower-decorated floats feature flower umbrellas spread with artificial chrysanthemums, stages adorned with carvings and metal fittings, and a deity figure and mirror panels.
At dusk, the lanterns are lit and the dashi gather in their lantern-covered form.
The nighttime illuminations offer a close-up view of the floats in a dazzling display unlike their daytime appearance.
A spring festival bringing color to Ishido’s streets by day and night with 11 flower-decorated floats
What to expect
The festival begins with the flower-decorated floats gathering, a festival music performance, and a procession ceremony, after which the dashi from each neighborhood proceed through central Ishido.
In the evening, a lantern-lighting ceremony is held on the Ishido Station-front Shopping Street, followed by a procession of the lantern-covered floats.
At night, the 11 dashi gather once more and are illuminated.
In 2026, a dashi quiz, a miniature display, and a dashi trial ride for children were also listed among the activities.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the dashi procession and gathering, listen to the festival music, and see the lantern-covered dashi lit up at night.
In 2026, children aged 3 through elementary school age could take part in a trial ride climbing aboard a lantern-covered dashi, accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Registration on the day is required for the trial ride, which takes place on the lantern-covered dashi of the town listed on the registration slip.
In 2026, registration for the dashi trial ride opened at the main tent at 6 p.m., and the experience began at 7:45 p.m.
The activity is for children aged 3 through elementary school age, who must apply with a parent or guardian.
Participants climb aboard the lantern-covered dashi of the town listed on their registration slip.
The dashi quiz was held near the festival square at Oyabe City Community Plaza, and participants who answered all 5 questions correctly received an original button badge.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The festival takes place at the Oyabe Civic Exchange Plaza parking lot (Festival Plaza) and other locations throughout the Ishidō area of Oyabe City.
The address is Ishidō-machi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It is a 5-minute walk from Ishidō Station on the Ainokaze Toyama Railway.
Free shuttle buses operate between Crossland Oyabe, Ishidō Station, and Roadside Station Meruhen Oyabe.
- By car
It is about 15 minutes from Oyabe IC on the Hokuriku Expressway and about 15 minutes from Oyabe-higashi IC on the Nōetsu Expressway.
- Parking
Temporary parking is available at Sakuramachi JOMON Park, Roadside Station Meruhen Oyabe, Crossland Oyabe, and the Budokan.
Traffic restrictions are in place on the festival day, and shuttle buses run from the designated parking areas to the venue.
Address Ishido-machi, Oyabe City, Toyama Prefecture 932-0053
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held on April 29 (Wednesday, public holiday), with event hours listed as approximately 1 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The flower-decorated floats gather and perform festival music at 1 p.m., the procession begins at 2:30 p.m., the lantern-lighting ceremony takes place at 6 p.m., and the illuminations begin at 7:40 p.m.
The 2026 event date has passed.
It was announced that the event may be canceled in rain or severe weather.
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 Toyama Prefecture / Oyabe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Traffic restrictions are scheduled from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the festival day, so if you are driving, it is best to travel early.
A shuttle bus runs between the temporary parking area and the venue.
Getting around the venue may take time during the procession and gathering, so it is a good idea to decide in advance where and when you want to watch.
The event may be canceled in severe weather.
Nearby attractions
Nearby tourist attractions listed in connection with the venue include Roadside Station Märchen Oyabe, Crossland Oyabe, and Sakuramachi JOMON Park, which are designated as temporary parking areas.
These places are associated with central Ishido as shuttle bus stops or parking areas for the festival.
There is also a tourist information center near Ishido Station, where visitors can pick up brochures and get tourist information inside the station.
If you plan to visit alongside the festival, please check each facility’s operating status.
Source: アクセス | 小矢部市観光協会
Origins and History of Ishido Hikiyama Festival
The Ishido Hikiyama Festival is a festival dating back to the mid-Edo period.
The festival is said to have begun when the Gobo-cho dashi was created in 1752; many more dashi were built afterward, particularly during the Kansei, Bunka, and Bunsei periods.
The 11 dashi seen today are flower-decorated floats built between the Hōreki and Ansei periods.
The 11 dashi were designated as Oyabe City Tangible Folk Cultural Properties in 1980 and selected for the “100 Selected Cultural Properties of Toyama” in 2006.
Source: 石動曳山祭 - Wikipedia
Official information
Event information is available from the Oyabe City Tourism Association under “Reiwa 8 (2026) Ishido Hikiyama Festival.”
Information is provided about the 2026 event date and time, venue, schedule, trial ride, shuttle buses, and traffic restrictions.
In addition to information from the tourism association, the official Toyama Prefecture tourism website also lists the event dates, venue, and access information.
Ishido Hikiyama Festival at a Glance
The Ishido Hikiyama Festival is a spring festival dating back to the mid-Edo period, with 11 flower-decorated floats parading through the Ishido district of Oyabe City.
The main highlights are the gathering of the flower-decorated floats and festival music during the day, and the lantern-covered dashi illuminated at night.
In 2026, a dashi trial ride for children and a dashi quiz were also held.
The venue is easy to reach on foot from Ishido Station. For visitors arriving by car, information is provided about temporary parking and shuttle buses.
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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