A pilgrimage of prayer on Mount Iwaki, led by gohei streamers and music
The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki
The 2026 edition of The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/09 〜 2026/09/11Ended
- Season / frequency
- From the last day of lunar calendar: July through August 15 / Every year
- Location
- Mount Iwaki
- Area
- Aomori Prefecture・Hirosaki City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 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
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
People carrying streamers and banners head from Iwakiyama Shrine toward the summit, accompanied by Tozan-bayashi music and chants. It is a leading religious event of the Tsugaru region.
About The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki
The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki is a group pilgrimage and religious event known in the Tsugaru region as “Oyama-san-kei” and “Yamakage.”
People head for the mountain in groups from their respective villages or districts, with Mount Iwaki as the object of their worship.
The event offers prayers of gratitude for the harvest, for a safe livelihood, and for the safety of the household. It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1984.
It has been passed down as a local cultural tradition connected to the annual festival at Iwakiyama Shrine.
Source: 岩木山神社
Festival highlights
A highlight is the procession carrying long banners and gohei streamers, moving to the sound of flutes and drums playing the Tozan-bayashi mountain music and chanting “Saigi, saigi.”
Worshippers in white garments head for Iwakiyama Shrine, then pray as they watch the sunrise from the summit.
At Tanemaki Naishiro along the way, people divine whether the harvest will be good or poor. After descending, they express the joy of completing the pilgrimage safely through Badara dancing.
You can see how mountain worship and group offerings come together in this event.
Source: 岩木山の登拝行事 - 弘前市
A pilgrimage of prayer on Mount Iwaki, led by gohei streamers and music
What to expect
Preparations are made under the guidance of a village leader, including making gohei streamers and banners and preparing white garments and rice cakes.
On the first day, participants go to Iwakiyama Shrine and dedicate offerings, gohei streamers, and banners.
They then set out from the trailhead in the middle of the night and head for the summit, purifying themselves at a site along the way.
At the inner shrine, participants dedicate gohei streamers and sacred sake and pray as they watch the sunrise. After descending, they report their safe return to the shrine.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
How to take part
The traditional pilgrimage is undertaken by groups of worshippers from villages or districts, who head for the mountain accompanied by a leader.
In 2026, a related program called “Let’s Walk Oyama-san-kei,” offering the public an opportunity to experience the traditional event, was open for registration. It is a separate event, not the main event itself.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Mount Iwaki.
Iwakiyama Shrine, the focal point of the event, is at 27 Hyakuzawa Terasawa, Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It takes 40 minutes by bus from JR Hirosaki Station.
Source: 重要無形民俗文化財 お山参詣｜弘前市観光情報サイト きてみて、ひろさき。ここみて、弘前
Event venue 青森県弘前市 岩木山
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Oyama-san-kei was listed as a 3-day event running from September 9 through the 11th.
At Iwakiyama Shrine, events corresponding to “Mukaiyama” on the first day, “Yoiyama” on the second day, and “Tsuitachiyama” on the final day are held.
In 2026, the Tozan-bayashi main competition was scheduled for September 10 and the annual festival for September 11. The Hyakuzawa trail was also open for 3 days.
The annual festival is held around day 1 of lunar month 8.
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 Aomori Prefecture / Hirosaki City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The pilgrimage to the summit begins at night and follows a route with steep slopes and rocky sections.
According to information from Hirosaki City, the climb from the Hyakuzawa Trailhead covers about 8 kilometers and takes about 4 hours.
Since the route follows mountain trails at night, check the event arrangements and trail conditions on the day before deciding where to watch or whether to climb.
You can also watch the procession and dedications around Iwakiyama without joining the climb.
Nearby attractions
Iwakiyama Shrine and the Hyakuzawa Onsen area are listed as sightseeing destinations near the event venue.
Iwakiyama Shrine is the focal point of Oyama-san-kei, and the approach and offer a sense of the event’s connection to the area.
Tourism information also features Happy Hyakuzawa Onsen as a nearby attraction.
When visiting, check each facility’s operating hours and conditions of use.
堀越城
青森県の城・史跡のスポットです。
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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大森勝山遺跡
青森県弘前市にある縄文時代の環状列石を主体とする集落遺跡
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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岩木山神社
青森県弘前市にある神社
写真：nnh / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
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弘前れんが倉庫美術館
青森県弘前市にある現代美術館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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弘前八幡宮
弘前市にある神社
写真：AT@wiki from Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0(resized and reformatted)
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弘前公園
青森県弘前市にある公園
写真：Feri88 / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
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弘前市立博物館
青森県弘前市にある博物館
写真：663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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弘前市立郷土文学館
青森県弘前市にある文学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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揚亀園
青森県弘前市の津軽藩ねぷた村にある日本庭園
写真：663highland / CC BY 2.5(resized and reformatted)
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旧第五十九銀行本店本館
青森県弘前市にある歴史的建造物
写真：Kaburamata / CC0(resized and reformatted)
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津軽藩ねぷた村
青森県弘前市にある観光施設
写真：津軽藩ねぷた村 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
瑞楽園
青森県の公園・庭園のスポットです。
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki
It is not clear when Oyama-san-kei began, though one theory is that it started in the early Kamakura period.
The event is said to have taken its present form around 1719, in the mid-Edo period. It is said that at the time, only the domain lord made the pilgrimage on August 1.
It is explained that, from the Meiji period onward, the pilgrimage came to be made mainly by members of the public.
It was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1984.
Official information
The official Iwakiyama Shrine guide provides information on the origins of Oyama-san-kei and the structure of the festival.
Information on the event dates and program is also available from the Iwaki-san Tourism Association.
For an overview and history of the cultural property, see Hirosaki City’s cultural property guide and the National Database of Designated Cultural Properties.
The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki at a Glance
The mountain pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in which people from Tsugaru make a group pilgrimage to Mount Iwaki, praying for a good harvest and the safety of their households.
The event is distinguished by processions bearing gohei streamers and banners, accompanied by Tozan-bayashi music and chants; the viewing of the sunrise from the summit; and Badara dancing after the descent.
In 2026, it was held from September 9 through the 11th.
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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