A traditional festival in the Kanazu district, with the mikoshi and dashi visiting the honjin
Kanazu Festival
The 2026 edition of Kanazu Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/18 〜 2026/07/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- 3 days, starting on the Saturday immediately before Marine Day and including Marine Day
- Location
- Soja Kanazu Shrine and the Kanazu district (25 districts)
- Area
- Fukui Prefecture・Awara City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 50 min–3 h 20 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This festival features the of Kanazu Shrine and 3 human-figure parading through the honjin of the Kanazu district, with each neighborhood presenting its decorations, , and dances.
About Kanazu Festival
The Kanazu Festival is the festival of Kanazu Shrine in Harumiya, Awara City.
It features dashi processions, music played inside the dashi, and Honjin Kazari-mono, and is supported by 25 administrative districts in the Kanazu area.
A distinctive feature is the mikoshi and 3 dashi visiting each district's honjin and presenting its local decorations.
It is now introduced as a festival held over 3 days, starting on the Saturday immediately before Marine Day and including Marine Day.
Festival highlights
A distinctive procession is the highlight: the mikoshi leads, followed by a hanaguruma with its musicians and then the dashi, as they visit each neighborhood's honjin.
In front of each honjin, the duty district offers kyokudaiko and dances, in addition to the dashi hayashi.
Another feature unique to the Kanazu Festival is that 3 human-figure dashi, selected from 15 districts, represent the South, East, and West blocks in the procession.
Making and displaying Honjin Kazari-mono is also a major highlight.
A traditional festival in the Kanazu district, with the mikoshi and dashi visiting the honjin
What to expect
During the festival, the duty district takes the lead in making Honjin Kazari-mono, which are displayed at each district's honjin.
During the festival, the mikoshi, hanaguruma, and dashi parade through the honjin, with dashi hayashi, kyokudaiko, and dances offered.
The dashi set out from the honjin of each duty district and visit the honjin in the different neighborhoods.
In some years, a stamp rally takes visitors to the honjin of 18 districts.
How to take part
In 2026, the Honjin Kazari-mono Stamp Rally took place on July 18 and the 19th.
Stamps and rally sheets are available at each honjin, and you can start at any one. Each person may submit 1 entry.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Soja Kanazu Shrine, 2-2-14-64 Harumiya, Awara City, Fukui Prefecture
- Train and bus
About a 10-minute walk from Awaraonsen Station
- By car
Use the multi-storey parking garage at Awaraonsen Station, then walk to the venue
- Parking
Multi-storey parking garage at Awaraonsen Station
Address 2-2-14-64 Harumiya, Awara City, Fukui Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
According to the 2026 event information, the festival was held on July 18 (Saturday), the 19th (Sunday), and the 20th (Monday, a public holiday).
本陣飾り物スタンプラリーは7月18日13:00～20:00、19日9:00～20:00です。
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 Fukui Prefecture / Awara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Crowds are expected around the venue and on nearby roads during festival hours.
As the venue is reached on foot from the parking area, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Please be considerate of local traffic and residents, and help sort and take your rubbish home during the stamp rally.
Nearby attractions
Kanazu, where the festival is held, is featured in an article about festival trips based in Awara Onsen.
The suggested route from Awara Onsen to the area around Kanazu Shrine goes via Awaraonsen Station.
You can consider combining the festival with a stay in the hot spring area.
藤野厳九郎記念館
福井県あわら市にある博物館
金津創作の森
福井県あわら市にある美術館
Origins and History of Kanazu Festival
The current form of the Kanazu Festival is said to date back to the Edo period.
Although no sources establish when Honjin Kazari-mono began, it is considered a tradition dating back to around the time the Kanazu magistrate's office was established in the early Edo period.
The festival's content and timing have changed over the years, but its distinctive features, such as the dashi procession and Honjin Kazari-mono, have been passed down.
In 2016, it was designated an intangible folk cultural property by Awara City.
Official information
金津祭り【公式】 金津祭り【公式】｜福井県あわら市の伝統祭り
Kanazu Festival at a Glance
The Kanazu Festival is a festival of dashi processions and Honjin Kazari-mono involving 25 administrative districts centered around Kanazu Shrine.
The mikoshi, hanaguruma, and 3 human-figure dashi visit each district's honjin, where taiko and dances are offered.
The festival's defining features include its form, which dates back to the Edo period, and Honjin Kazari-mono, a tradition said to date back to the early Edo period.
According to the 2026 event information, it was held from July 18 through the 20th.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
