Kamo Grand Festival

Festival highlights

A highlight is the sacred procession, when mikoshi from 8 shrines gather in the grounds of Sōjagu Shrine and line up in a row, competing to be raised the highest.

The climax is said to be when the mikoshi are all raised at once at the signal of a gunshot, then carried in a swirling procession.

At noon, sword dances, the tsugi-shishi form of shishimai, and staff performances are also held.

A joint shrine festival in Kibichūō Town, where mikoshi from eight shrines gather and carry on tradition

What to expect

The festival begins with the gathering of representatives from the nine shrines, followed by each shrine's departure and journey, and then the procession enters Sōjagu Shrine.

The 8 shrines, from Kamo Shrine to Sansho Shrine, enter in sequence from 7 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Sword dances, shishimai, and staff performances take place at 12 p.m., followed by the sacred procession at 12:30 p.m.

The procession departs at 1:30 p.m., then returns to each shrine, ending around 3:30 p.m.

How to take part

参加費：無料

Location and access

Venue and address

Sōjagu Shrine, 1567 Kamoichiba, Kibichūō Town, Kaga District, Okayama Prefecture

Train and bus

Take a bus bound for Fukuzawa from JR Kanagawa Station for about 30 minutes; get off at Kamoichiba, right by the site.

By car

About 45 minutes from Okayama IC on the Sanyo Expressway

Parking

Not stated

Address 1567 Kamoichiba, Kibichūō Town, Kaga District, Okayama Prefecture

Dates and season

2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)

The festival is scheduled to take place on October 18 (Sunday) in 2026.

The festival is listed as running from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the town's official schedule shows recreational performances at 12 p.m., the sacred procession at 12:30 p.m., the departure at 1:30 p.m., and the event ending around 3:30 p.m.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Nearby attractions

The Kibichūō Town Festival Hall is located directly in front of Sōjagu Shrine.

It is introduced as a place where you can experience the atmosphere of the Kamo Grand Festival. It is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays only. Admission is charged for visitors of elementary-school age and older.

Origins and History of Kamo Grand Festival

According to shrine records, the Kamo Grand Festival began during the Tenki era, between 1053 and 1058.

It is said to have begun when nearby shrines gathered at the general shrine to give thanks after divine power dispelled a plague that had spread throughout the former Kamogawa Town area.

The festival was interrupted for about 200 years during the Warring States period, but was revived in the mid-Edo period and designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by Okayama Prefecture in 1959.

Official information

Kibichūō Town website, “Kamo Grand Festival”

Kamo Grand Festival at a Glance

The Kamo Grand Festival is a joint shrine festival where mikoshi from 8 shrines gather at Sōjagu Shrine.

After the procession enters, sword dances, shishimai, and staff performances take place. During the sacred procession, the mikoshi are lined up in a row and raised high.

The festival is said to have begun between 1053 and 1058. After an interruption of about 200 years, it was revived in the mid-Edo period and designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the prefecture in 1959.