Two giant torches light up the night sky at Inabe’s traditional fire festival
Kamojinja Yobimatsu
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Once every 3 years / Once every 3 years
- Location
- Kamojinja
- Area
- Mie Prefecture・Inabe City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 h · bullet train + connecting 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/12
At Kamojinja in Inabe City, the Yobimatsu sees enormous torches lit at night. The festival carries on the tradition of lighting fires to welcome the sacred treasures and is held to pray for the community’s safety and a good harvest.
About Kamojinja Yobimatsu
The Kamojinja Yobimatsu is a Yobimatsu shinji held at Kamojinja in Inabe City, Mie Prefecture.
The event involves lighting a giant torch with a circumference of 4.5 meters and a weight of 900 kilograms. It is designated an Inabe City Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
It takes place during the Kamojinja Grand Festival, held once every 3 years, and is passed down as a festival praying for the safety of local people and a good harvest.
Festival highlights
The biggest highlight is the 2 giant torches, each 5 meters long and weighing as much as 900 kilograms.
It is known as a large-scale fire shinji in which giant torches are lit in the at night.
In addition to being an unusual festival involving fire, it is also distinctive as a tradition passed down with prayers for the community’s safety and a good harvest.
Two giant torches light up the night sky at Inabe’s traditional fire festival
What to expect
During the shinji, giant torches are lit at night at Kamojinja.
2 giant torches, each 5 meters long and weighing as much as 900 kilograms, are at the heart of the event.
It is said to have begun when torches were lit to welcome the sacred treasures, and this fiery tradition, which led to the form seen today, continues.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kamojinja (429 Niukawakami, Daiancho, Inabe City, Mie Prefecture)
Address 429 Niukawakami, Daiancho, Inabe City, Mie Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Once every 3 years
- Frequency
Once every 3 years
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 Mie Prefecture / Inabe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Kamojinja Yobimatsu
Its origins are said to date back to the founding of Kamojinja.
The sacred treasures brought from Kyoto were due to arrive at night because they had to cross the mountains, so villagers lit torches to welcome them. This is said to be how the tradition began.
It is said that the event began to be held in something like its present form around 400 years ago.
Official information
Inabe City lists the Kamojinja Yobimatsu as an Inabe City Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Mie Prefecture also provides an overview of the Yobimatsu shinji passed down at Kamojinja and its origins.
Kamojinja Yobimatsu at a Glance
The Kamojinja Yobimatsu is a fire shinji held during the Kamojinja Grand Festival, which takes place once every 3 years at Kamojinja in Inabe City.
The biggest highlight is the 2 giant torches, each 5 meters long and weighing as much as 900 kilograms. The event is also designated an Inabe City Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
It is said to have originated when torches were lit to welcome the sacred treasures, and it has been passed down as a festival praying for the community’s safety and a good harvest.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/12
