A winter festival in Katsuyama, illuminated by music from the yagura and flames at Benten Riverbed
Katsuyama Sagicho Festival
The 2026 edition of Katsuyama Sagicho Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/02/21 〜 2026/02/22Ended
- Season / frequency
- The final Saturday and Sunday of February / Every year
- Location
- Throughout downtown Katsuyama (Dondo-yaki: Benten Riverbed Green Space)
- Area
- Fukui Prefecture・Katsuyama 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation fee
- Free
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional event dating back to the Edo period, featuring lively music and performances at in downtown Katsuyama, followed by the Dondo-yaki at Benten Riverbed on the second night. For 2026, it was announced as scheduled for February 21 and the 22nd.
About Katsuyama Sagicho Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: kranzelic File:Packaged Yakisoba by Heroic Beer in Katsuyama, Fukui.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 kranzelic YakisobaDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Katsuyama Sagicho Festival is a traditional event held in neighborhoods across downtown Katsuyama, where people gather around Sagicho yagura and celebrate to the accompaniment of shamisen, flutes, and bells.
Adults and children take part, adding color to the festival in red nagajuban robes and with distinctive comic gestures.
On Sunday, the are carried to Benten Riverbed, and the festival concludes with the Dondo-yaki.
It is also said to herald the arrival of spring in the Okuetsu region.
Festival highlights
Highlights include lively taiko performances and Sagicho festival music performed atop the yagura.
Adults wearing red nagajuban robes perform with children, playing music while making comic gestures—a distinctive feature of the Katsuyama Sagicho Festival.
At night, the goshintai of each district are burned at Benten Riverbed, and the flames reflected in the snow bring the festival to a close.
A winter festival in Katsuyama, illuminated by music from the yagura and flames at Benten Riverbed
What to expect
On the first day, the opening taiko at 1 p.m. signals the start of Sagicho festival music and lively taiko performances at yagura in each neighborhood.
During the festival, illustrated lanterns, decorative displays, and oshie pictures are also displayed along the streets.
On the evening of the second day, the goshintai are carried to Benten Riverbed, where the Dondo-yaki takes place from 8 p.m., bringing the 2-day event to an end.
How to take part
参加費：無料
Location and access
- Venue and address
Throughout central Katsuyama.
The Dondo-yaki takes place at Benten Riverbank Green Space.
- Train and bus
Get off at Katsuyama Station on the Echizen Railway Katsuyama-Eiheiji Line; it is a 10-minute walk.
- By car
It is a 10-minute drive from Katsuyama IC on the Chubu Jukan Expressway.
- Parking
Available.
Temporary parking is available.
Address Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 festival information (the listed dates have passed)
For 2026, the festival was announced as scheduled for 2 days, February 21 (Saturday) and the 22nd (Sunday).
On the first day, the opening taiko performance begins at 1 p.m. Events at each yagura start after the performance ends.
On the second day, the Dondo-yaki takes place at Benten Riverbed Green Space from 8 p.m.
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 / Katsuyama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Festival-related spots include Katsuyama Benten Sakura, Hataya Memorial Hall Yumeole Katsuyama, Ippongi Kubohonten, and Shunsai Shokusai Kagetsuro.
Katsuyama Benten Sakura is a place associated with Benten Riverbed, which is listed as the Dondo-yaki venue.
If you visit in connection with the festival, check each facility’s opening status and conditions of use individually.
かつやま恐竜の森
福井県勝山市村岡町寺尾にある都市公園
はたや記念館 ゆめおーれ勝山
日本の福井県勝山市にある博物館
勝山城博物館
福井県勝山市にある天守風の博物館
平泉寺白山神社
福井県勝山市にある神社
写真：藤谷良秀(Fujitani Yoshihide) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
福井県立恐竜博物館
福井県勝山市にある博物館
Origins and History of Katsuyama Sagicho Festival
Katsuyama Sagicho is said to have continued since the Edo period.
It is described as having a history of over 300 years since Lord Ogasawara’s arrival in the domain, and was formerly held each year on day 14 of lunar month 1 during the Little New Year period.
Today, taking the convenience of visitors and organizers into consideration, it is held on the final Saturday and Sunday of February.
Official information
Festival information is available on Fukui Prefecture’s official tourism website, Fukui.com.
For inquiries, the Katsuyama Sagicho Festival Organizing Committee Secretariat, located within the Katsuyama City Future Creation Division, is listed; the phone number is 0779-88-8114.
The Katsuyama City official website also provides information on the Dondo-yaki ceremony and Katsuyama Sagicho as a cultural property.
Katsuyama Sagicho Festival at a Glance
The Katsuyama Sagicho Festival is a 2-day traditional event where you can enjoy lively taiko performances and Sagicho festival music at yagura in downtown Katsuyama, as well as the Dondo-yaki bonfire at Benten Riverbed.
In 2026, it was held on February 21 and the 22nd, with the opening taiko on the first day and the fire festival on the final day marking major milestones.
Experience local culture dating back to the Edo period at venues throughout the town.
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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