Bringing the community together to make history and capture the festival’s excitement
Katsuta Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year August / Every year
- Area
- Ibaraki Prefecture・Hitachinaka City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 10 min–1 h 30 min · limited express)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
- 2026/10/19
Rooted in Hitachinaka, Katsuta Festival brings together large-scale community-powered events, dance and drumming, along with floats and .
About Katsuta Festival
Katsuta Festival is a local festival that has been held in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The festival has been known for Guinness-style record challenges that bring the community together, such as making Japan’s longest norimaki roll and creating large-scale paintings.
After the municipal merger, dancing to Hitachinaka City’s official song was also added, developing into an event that expresses a sense of community unity.
Source: かつた祭り - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
A highlight is an event where local participants join forces to take on a record-breaking challenge.
Past big events varied from year to year and included extra-long norimaki rolls, large-scale paintings, balloon murals, and recycled art.
Fireworks, dance parades, dashi floats and mikoshi appearing together, and the taiko plaza have also added to the festivities.
Source: 第21回ひたちなか祭り｜事業要項
Bringing the community together to make history and capture the festival’s excitement
What to expect
Past editions were scheduled with the fireworks display and main festival on separate days, and featured fireworks, parades, dancing, competitions, and local product events.
The main festival has included a variety of activities, such as tricycle races, a dance plaza, a contest, and a taiko plaza.
In the evening, dashi floats and mikoshi appeared, and some programs concluded the festival with local music and dance.
Location and access
- Address
Hitachinaka City
Host municipality 茨城県ひたちなか市
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
- Season
Every year August
- Frequency
Every year
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 Ibaraki Prefecture / Hitachinaka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
国営ひたち海浜公園
茨城県ひたちなか市にある国営公園
酒列磯前神社
茨城県ひたちなか市にある神社
Origins and History of Katsuta Festival
Katsuta Festival began in 1975 as the 1st “Yansa Festival,” led by the Junior Chamber of Commerce.
The Aozora Exhibition began in 1978, and in the 1980s, big events such as an extra-long norimaki roll and a large-scale painting developed.
In the 1990s, the festival’s organization and program were also reviewed, and it continued as a local event that led to what later became the Hitachinaka Festival.
Official information
The Hitachinaka Festival Executive Committee has published its official event guidelines.
The page includes information on the purpose, venues, program, and organizers of past festivals, as well as a festival timeline.
Please check the latest information from the organizers for details about the 2026 festival.
Katsuta Festival at a Glance
Starting in Hitachinaka, Katsuta Festival has featured large-scale community-powered events, dance, taiko drumming, dashi floats, and mikoshi.
Beginning with the 1975 “Yansa Festival,” distinctive events such as the Aozora Exhibition and large-scale art projects took shape.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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