A ceremonial procession in Hirukawa, adorned with colorful hats and a flower horse
Kinefuri Odori
The 2026 edition of Kinefuri Odori has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/04/19Ended
- Season / frequency
- The Sunday closest to April 16 each year / Every year
- Location
- Ankomi Shrine
- Area
- Gifu Prefecture・Nakatsugawa City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h–2 h 30 min · 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Age restrictions
- Male dancers must be 24 or younger.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
In Hirukawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, the Kinefuri Odori, a dance offered in prayer for an abundant harvest, is performed at the annual festival of Ankomi Shrine. A procession of dancers wearing brightly colored hats makes its way through the community, carrying on traditional rituals through to the gallop of the sacred horse and flower horse up the approach.
About Kinefuri Odori
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: 大野一将 File:Kinefuri-Odori(pestle swing dance), Nakatsugawa, 2018.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Kinefuri Odori is a dance performed at the annual festival of Ankomi Shrine in Hirukawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture, in prayer for an abundant harvest.
It is designated a Gifu Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and dancers wearing red, blue, and yellow hats parade through the community while swinging pestles.
and flower horses also appear, and the event continues as a traditional celebration that represents spring in Hirukawa.
Source: 杵振り踊り - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
Highlights include a colorful procession featuring red and blue demons, Okame, Hyottoko, tengu, children, and Kinefuri dancers.
The hats have a red, blue, and yellow checkerboard pattern, and the dancers swing their pestles while calling out “Soi.”
At the end of the festival, the sacred horse and flower horse gallop up the approach, bringing the event to a close.
Source: 杵振り花馬祭りが開催されました／中津川市
A ceremonial procession in Hirukawa, adorned with colorful hats and a flower horse
What to expect
The procession sets off from in front of the Hirukawa General Office and dances its way along a route of about 2 kilometers to Ankomi Shrine.
At the shrine, the procession first climbs the approach to the , then performs the Kinefuri Odori in the plaza before proceeding to the worship hall again.
Finally, the flower horse gallops up the approach, flowers are collected and mochi are tossed to the crowd, bringing the festival to a close.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
対象年齢：踊り子は24歳までの男性
Location and access
- Venue and address
Ankomi Shrine (1033-1 Hirukawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture).
The procession travels from in front of the Hirukawa General Office to Ankomi Shrine.
- By car
About 25 minutes from Nakatsugawa IC by car.
Source: 杵振り花馬祭り / 岐阜県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
Address 1033-1 Hirukawa, Nakatsugawa City, Gifu Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 event was held on April 19 (Sun).
It is usually held on the Sunday closest to April 16, with community events continuing from the mikoshi procession early in the morning through to the sacred horse and flower horse galloping up the approach.
The 2026 information lists the event hours as 10:15 a.m. to 4:30 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 Gifu Prefecture / Nakatsugawa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The procession travels about 2 kilometers from in front of the Hirukawa General Office to Ankomi Shrine, so you can watch from several locations.
Since the procession climbs and descends the shrine approach and the flower horse gallops up it, please watch from a spot that does not obstruct the event.
For 2026, some sections were announced as closed to pedestrian traffic, and traffic restrictions were also announced as planned for the year, as in previous years.
Nearby attractions
博石館
日本の岐阜県中津川市にある博物館
熊谷守一つけち記念館
岐阜県中津川市付知町にある美術館
藤村記念館
馬籠宿（岐阜県中津川市）にある文学館
Origins and History of Kinefuri Odori
The Kinefuri Odori is said to have been passed down for about 400–600 years, but its origins are unclear.
Ankomi Shrine was once called Gion Shrine, and it is said that a Gion Festival was held there.
After the Meiji-era Order for the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism, its name was changed to Ankomi Shrine, and the tradition has continued as the festival celebrated today.
Official information
The Nakatsugawa City official website features scenes from the 2026 Kinefuri Hanaba Festival.
It confirms that the Kinefuri Odori of the Hirukawa district is designated a Gifu Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and that the procession danced from near the Hirukawa General Office to Ankomi Shrine.
Kinefuri Odori at a Glance
The Kinefuri Odori is a ritual performance at the annual festival of Ankomi Shrine. Dancers parade through Hirukawa in prayer for an abundant harvest.
Colorful hats, a procession that includes demons and tengu, flute and drum music, and the flower horse’s gallop up the approach come together in a lively display.
It was held on April 19 in 2026 and has been passed down as a Gifu Prefecture-designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
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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