Six dashi thunder through the castle town in a summer festival passed down through generations
Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival
The 2026 edition of Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/27 〜 2026/08/29Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, August 27–29 / Every year
- Location
- Around Suwa Shrine
- Area
- Niigata Prefecture・Shibata City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h 10 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- The participation fee for the folk dance parade is 500 yen. rental costs an additional 1,700 yen.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival originated as the annual festival of Suwa Shrine. Lively processions by the six neighborhood , folk dance parades, and festival stalls enliven the castle town.
About Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival
The Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival is a summer festival in Shibata City, centered on the annual festival of Suwa Shrine, Shibata’s tutelary shrine.
A variety of events, including goldfish dashi, , a procession, a folk dance parade, and other processions, enliven the city streets.
The six neighborhood dashi are the festival’s symbol. Highlights also include the different dashi, coats, and local hospitality found in each neighborhood.
Numerous food and festival stalls also line the streets, bringing a lively atmosphere to the castle town.
Source: 新発田市のまつり・イベント（7月～9月）｜新潟県新発田市公式ホームページ / 城下町新発田まつり｜新潟のイベント｜【公式】新潟県のおすすめ観光・旅行情報！にいがた観光ナビ
Festival highlights
The biggest highlight is the Shibata dashi brought out by the six neighborhoods.
The dashi move forward with repeated “aori,” lifting the front wheels and bringing them down onto the ground. On the final day’s return procession, you can also see “aori” and “momi-ai” between the dashi.
2026 marked the 300th anniversary of dashi processions, and a special dedicatory procession bringing all 6 dashi together in front of Suwa Shrine’s shrine gate was also announced as planned.
Source: 新発田台輪 三〇〇周年 特集ページ｜しばた町めぐり
Six dashi thunder through the castle town in a summer festival passed down through generations
What to expect
From August 27 through the 29th, the festival features dedicatory dashi processions to Suwa Shrine, goldfish dashi, yosakoi, mikoshi processions, folk dance parades, and various other processions.
For the 2026 dedicatory dashi procession, the dashi set out from their respective neighborhoods for Suwa Shrine and performed “aori” in front of the shrine gate.
On the final day’s return procession, the dashi return from Suwa Shrine to their respective neighborhoods, with a synchronized aori taking place on Tachiuri Street and at the Central Intersection.
How to take part
General visitors can enjoy watching the dashi, parade, folk dance parade, and other events.
In 2026, Japanese participants who would dance while interacting with international participants in the folk dance parade at Shibata Castle Town Festival, as well as volunteers to help people dress in yukata, were recruited.
Participation in the folk dance parade is subject to recruitment capacity and a participation fee, so anyone wishing to join should check the conditions for that event.
For the 2026 folk dance parade participation program, applications were invited from international participants, Japanese participants, and yukata-dressing volunteers.
The event was held on August 27. The application period ran through July 31. The participation fee was 500 yen, and renting a yukata cost an additional 1,700 yen.
Separate application forms were provided for Japanese participants, international participants, and dressing volunteers.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Around Suwa Shrine (1-8-9 Suwa-cho, Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture)
- Train and bus
A 5-minute walk from Shibata Station on the JR Uetsu Main Line.
- By car
A 10-minute drive from the Seiro-Shibata IC on the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway.
Address 1-8-9 Suwa-cho, Shibata City, Niigata Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The festival was held from August 27 (Thursday) through August 29 (Saturday) in 2026.
It is usually held over 3 days, from August 27 through the 29th, and the dates are fixed.
2026 marked the 300th anniversary of dashi processions, and special processions were announced: a dedicatory dashi procession early in the morning on August 27 and a return dashi procession from evening into the night on August 29.
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 Niigata Prefecture / Shibata City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
According to the information available, the 2026 return procession of the dashi was scheduled to run from 6 p.m. until around 10 p.m., with a simultaneous dashi-tilting display on Tachiuri Street and at the Central intersection.
The dashi procession and the forceful “aori” and “momi-ai” make for an exciting spectacle, so please follow safety instructions and traffic restrictions in the procession area.
Since times and locations vary by food stall and event, it’s a good idea to check the day’s schedule and venue information before you visit.
Nearby attractions
Tourist attractions around the festival venue include Suwa Shrine, Zoshunkaku, Ashigaru Nagaya, Shimizu-en Garden, and Shibata Castle and Shibata Castle Ruins Park.
Historic sites and scenery that evoke the castle town’s past are clustered in the area, offering a chance to experience Shibata’s culture alongside the festival.
Please check each facility’s opening status and visitor information individually before your visit.
五十公野公園
新潟県新発田市にある公園
Origins and History of Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival
The festival originated in the rites of Shibata Suwa Shrine, which have continued since the Edo period.
The Shibata dashi are said to date back to around 1726, when Naoharu Mizoguchi, the 6th lord of the Shibata Domain, ordered decorated floats with ornamental dolls to be brought out to enliven the festival.
Six dashi remain today and are designated as Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Shibata City.
2026 marks the 300th anniversary of the start of dashi processions.
Source: 城下町新発田ふるさとまつり - Wikipedia
Official information
城下町新発田まつり公式サイト：Official Shibata Castle Town Festival website
Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival at a Glance
The Castle Town Shibata Furusato Festival is a traditional event in Shibata City, featuring dashi, mikoshi, a folk dance parade, and other processions centered on Suwa Shrine’s annual festival.
The lively “aori” performed by the six neighborhood dashi and the final day’s return procession are major highlights.
The 2026 festival marked the 300th anniversary of dashi processions and was held mainly around Suwa Shrine from August 27 through the 29th.
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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