Kakegawa Festival

Festival highlights

Highlights include the hand-pole exchanges and Tetsubana when dashi pass one another, as well as the varied entertainments passed down in each neighborhood.

At the Grand Festival, “Kankaramachi,” “Great Lion,” and “Yakko Procession” appear as the three major entertainments, featuring a three-lion dance, a large lion, and a procession in which long-handled spears are passed from person to person.

You can also enjoy festival music, shamisen, and hand dances alongside the dashi.

Source: 掛川大祭（ 次回は令和9年10月上旬開催の予定です） | 掛川観光情報 観光と交流の町「静岡県掛川市」 / 掛川祭 - Wikipedia

The castle town of Kakegawa brought to life by dashi and lions, with a neighborhood festival passed down through generations

What to expect

During the festival, each neighborhood moves its dashi and lions through the streets and presents entertainments at neighborhood meeting places, shops, and in front of homes.

The activities are divided into morning, afternoon, and evening sessions, with offerings at shrines, processions through the city center, and dashi passing one another.

At the Grand Festival, several neighborhoods also move together, and performances are held at the Festival Plaza, where all participating neighborhoods gather.

How to take part

The Kakegawa Festival is open to everyone.

High school students can also participate, but they must submit an application.

The festival involves taking part as a member of the local community, including the procession of yatai and shishi and performances by each neighborhood.

You can also enjoy the events in the city as a spectator.

Those wishing to participate join as festival participants representing their respective neighborhoods.

Participation is currently open to everyone, but high school students must submit an application.

Participants follow the schedule for their respective neighborhoods and take part in activities such as the procession of yatai and shishi, as well as performances.

General visitors can watch from along the route, but cannot take part as participants.

Location and access

Venue and address

The festival is held in the central area around Kakegawa Station.

Train and bus

Get off at Kakegawa Station on the Tokaido Line (Shinkansen) or Tenryu Hamanako Line.

During the festival, bus routes will be diverted, and delays due to traffic congestion are expected.

By car

During the festival, cars cannot enter the central area, and general vehicles are prohibited from passing through in principle.

If you come by car, use a paid parking lot around Kakegawa Station.

Parking

The Otemon Parking Lot is unavailable from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on October 9, 2026, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on October 10 and the 11th.

Source: 掛川祭 - 観光サイト

Event venue 静岡県掛川市 掛川駅周辺の中心市街地

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

2026 event information (the dates listed have passed)

The 2026 Kakegawa Festival was announced as scheduled to take place from October 9 (Friday) through the 11th (Sunday).

On the first day, the festival runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; on the 10th and 11th, it runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dashi and participants parade through the city center, while festival music and other entertainments are presented in each neighborhood.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

During the festival, the central area around Kakegawa Station gets crowded, and traffic restrictions are in effect.

Avoid driving into the area or parking on the street; use public transportation or a paid parking lot around the station.

Buses will be rerouted, and delays due to traffic congestion are expected, so allow plenty of time for your journey.

Nearby attractions

Temples and shrinesKakegawa City

事任八幡宮

静岡県掛川市にある神社

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写真：観光・CP課 / CC BY 4.0

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Castles and historic sitesKakegawa City

掛川城

静岡県掛川市にあった城

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写真：行政課 / CC BY 4.0

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Museums and art museumsKakegawa City

掛川市二の丸美術館

静岡県掛川市掛川1142-1にある公立の美術館

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写真：Abasaa / Public domain

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Castles and historic sitesKakegawa City

高天神城

静岡県掛川市の城

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写真：立花左近 / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Kakegawa Festival

The present-day style of the Kakegawa Festival is said to have taken shape between the mid-Edo period and the Meiji period.

The oldest known festival document dates back approximately 260 years, and it is estimated that the festival had largely assumed its present-day style by the mid-Meiji period.

Kakegawa’s history as a castle town and post town along the Tokaido, where people and cultures came and went, has also contributed to the variety of its dashi and performances.

Official information

Details for 2026, including dates and times, venues, traffic restrictions, parking, and public transportation, are available on Kakegawa City’s official tourism website.

For more information about the origins of the Kakegawa Grand Festival and its three major entertainments, see the Kakegawa Tourism Association’s guide.

Source: 掛川祭 - 観光サイト

Kakegawa Festival at a Glance

The Kakegawa Festival is a local celebration held in the city center around Kakegawa Station, where dashi, festival music, hand dances, and lion dances come together.

In 2026, the festival runs from October 9 through the 11th, with dashi and performances by each neighborhood to enjoy.

Traffic restrictions and congestion are expected around the venue, so it is convenient to travel from Kakegawa Station by public transportation.