An autumn festival that powerfully celebrates Iwamizawa’s harvest with a giant mortar
Furusato Hyappomochi Festival
The 2026 edition of Furusato Hyappomochi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/19 〜 2026/09/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Mid-September autumn / Every year
- Location
- Around the special venue on 4-jo Street, Sakae Street, 4-jo Street, and 3-jo Street
- Area
- Hokkaido・Iwamizawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)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
- Participation fee
- Free admission
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
An autumn celebration of Iwamizawa’s glutinous rice and abundant harvest, using one of the world’s largest mortars. Mochi pounding as a large group works together, mochi throwing for longevity, and food stalls bring the city center to life.
About Furusato Hyappomochi Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: ja:利用者:Dddeco File:Furusato-Hyappei-festival.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AB:Hyappei.JPG 05:29, 26 September 2007 . . Dddeco (talk | contribs) 1,600 × 1,200 (939,965 bytes) (ふるさと百餅祭り(北海道岩見沢市) 2007年9月17日撮影 撮影者：Dddeco {{GFDL}} Category:岩見沢市の画像)Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: SelEle-MS File:Furusato-Hyappei-festival imperial-progress-of-Hyappei-portable-shrine.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Iwamizawa Hyappomochi Festival is a signature autumn festival of Iwamizawa, a rice-producing area, held in central Iwamizawa, Hokkaido.
As an event celebrating Iwamizawa-grown glutinous rice, mochi is pounded using a giant mortar.
Rooted in the local community as an event offering prayers for a bountiful harvest, business prosperity, and health and longevity, it will be held for the 44th time in 2026.
Along with mochi pounding, the venue features mochi throwing for longevity and food stalls.
Source: いわみざわ百餅祭り／岩見沢市ホームページ / 令和8年9月／岩見沢市ホームページ
Festival highlights
The main highlight is large-scale mochi pounding in a giant mortar measuring 2.2 meters in diameter and weighing 5.5 tons.
The mochi is pounded using the “Yoito-make method”: a large group pulls ropes to raise a 200-kilogram mallet to a height of about 5 meters, then lets it drop.
Feel the power of the giant mallet striking the mortar up close, accompanied by Japanese drums and spirited calls.
The freshly pounded mochi is served in oshiruko, and visitors can also enjoy the Longevity Mochi Throwing and Hyappomochi Market.
Source: いわみざわ百餅祭り｜イベント｜【公式】北海道の観光・旅行情報サイト HOKKAIDO LOVE!
An autumn festival that powerfully celebrates Iwamizawa’s harvest with a giant mortar
What to expect
The festival centers on large-scale mochi pounding using a giant mortar and mallet. Visitors watch as a large group pulls ropes to raise and operate the mallet.
The program also includes the Hyappomochi Procession, mochi throwing for longevity, a children’s fair, and mochi pounding with small mortars for children.
Stalls selling food and other goods line the streets as part of Hyappomochi Market.
After the pounding, visitors can enjoy freshly made mochi in oshiruko.
Source: ふるさと百餅祭り - Wikipedia
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：入場無料
Location and access
- Venue and address
The festival is held around the intersection at 4-jo Nishi 2-chome in Iwamizawa City, along Sakae Street (1-jo Nishi 2-chome to 5-jo Nishi 2-chome), 4-jo Street (4-jo Nishi 1-chome to 4-jo Nishi 5-chome), and 3-jo Street (3-jo Nishi 2-chome to 3-jo Nishi 3-chome).
- Train and bus
It is a 5-minute walk from Iwamizawa Station on the JR Hakodate and Muroran lines to the special venue on 4-jo Street.
During the festival, local buses will be rerouted.
- By car
Traffic restrictions will be in place on parts of 4-jo Street and Sakae Street around the venue, and vehicles will not be able to enter.
- Parking
There is no parking at the venue.
Information is available on using paid parking lots.
Address Around the intersection at 4-jo Nishi 2-chome, Iwamizawa, Hokkaido
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event was scheduled to take place over 2 days, on September 19 (Saturday) and the 20th (Sunday).
On the 19th, it runs from noon to 8 p.m.; on the 20th, from 9:40 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The venue spans several streets in central Iwamizawa.
The festival is usually held in autumn.
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 Hokkaido / Iwamizawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
As the venue spans several urban streets, comfortable clothing and walking shoes are recommended.
During the festival, traffic restrictions will be in place on parts of 4-jo Street and Sakae Street, and local buses will be rerouted.
If traveling by car, note that there is no parking at the venue; use of paid parking lots is recommended.
The schedule and program may change, so check the official announcements shortly before your visit.
Nearby attractions
Sightseeing spots near the festival venue include Gyokusenkan Ruins Park, the Iwamizawa Park Rose Garden, Housui Winery, Hakuhouzan Koutokuji Temple, and TAKIZAWA WINERY.
Shinshinotsu Onsen, Miyajima-numa, the Kobayashi Shuzo Buildings, and Kuriyama Onsen are also suggested as nearby places to visit.
If you plan to visit alongside the festival, check each facility’s operating status and transportation options individually.
Origins and History of Furusato Hyappomochi Festival
The festival began in 1983 to revitalize the shopping district.
The name “Hyappomochi” is said to come from its connection to the 100th anniversary of Iwamizawa’s founding and from the event being held on Respect for the Aged Day, with wishes for people to live to 100.
It has grown into an event symbolizing the energy and future of Iwamizawa’s young people, and offering prayers for a bountiful harvest, business prosperity, longevity, and the city’s development.
It will be held for the 44th time in 2026.
Official information
Iwamizawa City’s official information lists the 2026 dates, venue, and access from the station.
For details about the events, the Iwamizawa Tourism Association’s “44th Iwamizawa Hyappomochi Festival Special Page” is provided as a resource.
Contact information is provided for the Iwamizawa City Tourism and Products Promotion Division and the Iwamizawa Tourism Association.
Furusato Hyappomochi Festival at a Glance
The Iwamizawa Hyappomochi Festival is an autumn festival that powerfully celebrates Iwamizawa’s glutinous rice and hopes for a bountiful harvest through large-scale mochi pounding.
In 2026, it will be held on September 19 and the 20th in the city center near Iwamizawa Station.
Along with mochi pounding using a giant mallet, visitors can enjoy mochi throwing, food stalls, and oshiruko.
Traffic restrictions apply around the venue, and there is no parking, so arriving by train is convenient.
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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