Prayers flicker in lantern light on a castle-shaped yagura after misogi
Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival
The 2026 edition of Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/19Ended
- Season / frequency
- The Saturday before Respect for the Aged Day in September
- Location
- Grounds of Mizuguchi Kamado Shrine
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Chikugo City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · 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
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This traditional event in Chikugo City features in the Yabe River and the lighting of a castle-shaped , with prayers for an abundant harvest and an end to disease.
About Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival
The Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival is a traditional event designated as a Chikugo City cultural property.
After the men of the purify themselves in the Yabe River, they light the lanterns on a yagura modeled after Mizuguchi Castle.
The lanterns carry prayers for an abundant harvest and an end to disease.
Festival highlights
Highlights include the misogi ritual in the Yabe River, followed by the lighting of the yagura.
Built in the shape of Mizuguchi Castle, the yagura holds lanterns whose flames flicker gently in the breeze.
As the lanterns are lit, the silhouette—reminiscent of the former Mizuguchi Castle—emerges against the night on the . This is a distinctive feature of the event.
Prayers flicker in lantern light on a castle-shaped yagura after misogi
What to expect
The event begins with the men of the ujiko making 3 crossings of the Yabe River as part of the misogi ritual.
They then light, one by one, the lanterns attached to a Mizuguchi Castle-shaped yagura erected on the shrine grounds.
The progression from misogi to lighting the lanterns expresses the festival’s purpose: driving away misfortune and praying for a good harvest.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Mizuguchi Kamado Shrine, 1553 Oaza Mizuguchi, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture
- Train and bus
About 10 minutes by taxi from JR Chikugo-Funagoya Station or Kyushu Shinkansen Chikugo-Funagoya Station / 50 minutes on foot from Chikugo-Funagoya Station (4 km) / 53 minutes on foot from JR Hainuzuka Station (4.3 km)
- By car
About 10 minutes from Yame IC on the Kyushu Expressway / About 5 minutes east of the “Funagoya” intersection on National Route 209
- Parking
About 30 spaces at the shrine (check whether it will be available on the festival day)
Address 1553 Oaza Mizuguchi, Chikugo City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the dates listed have already passed)
It is announced that the event is scheduled for September 19 (Sat) in 2026.
According to Chikugo City’s information, it is usually held from 6:30 p.m. on the Saturday before Respect for the Aged Day in September.
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 Fukuoka Prefecture / Chikugo City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The roads around the shrine are narrow, so watch out for vehicles when walking.
Since this event involves walking around the shrine grounds at night, comfortable shoes and a light to illuminate the area in front of you can help you watch your footing.
Origins and History of Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival
Mizuguchi Kamado Shrine has a thousand-year history. It was established in 1014, in the 3rd year of Chōwa, after receiving an enshrinement from Mount Hōman in Dazaifu.
The Thousand-Lantern Festival is said to have originated in 1732, the 17th year of Kyōhō, when lanterns were lit to drive away misfortune following poor harvests and epidemics.
Once known as one of Chikugo’s Three Great Thousand-Lantern Festivals, along with the Mizuta Tenmangu event and the event in Sakaida, Yame City, it is now designated a Chikugo City cultural property.
Official information
Chikugo City Official Website, “Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival [Mid-September]”
Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival at a Glance
The Kamado Shrine Thousand-Lantern Festival is a traditional event designated as a Chikugo City cultural property.
After the men of the ujiko perform misogi in the Yabe River, they light the lanterns on a yagura modeled after Mizuguchi Castle.
The event began in response to poor harvests and epidemics, and its lights fill the shrine grounds at night with prayers for an abundant harvest and an end to disease.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
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Article updated: 2026/11/11
