Komatsu Festival

Festival highlights

Highlights include the unified kachikurabe, where dashi from across the town gather, and the mikoshi’s departure from and return to Mishima Shrine.

As the dashi is lifted and carried up the stone steps, the carriers and spectators join in the excitement.

The yatai in each district vary in style, including natural wood, black lacquer, and vermilion finishes. You can also compare the designs of their carvings, curtains, and costumes.

Source: 「いよ小松まつり」の紹介 - 愛媛県西条市ホームページ

An autumn in Komatsu, bound together by dashi; community festival traditions echo across the stone steps

What to expect

During the festival period, dashi travel through the Komatsu district, and the mikoshi departs from and returns to Mishima Shrine.

On October 16, several dashi gather for the unified kachikurabe, and the festival concludes with the mikoshi’s return the following day, the 17th.

Events at the Ishizuchi Shrine festival also include children dressed as shrine maidens performing the Urayasu dance.

How to take part

The danjiri procession and dedication are part of a festival carried out by the local communities and ujiko.

If you plan to watch, please respect the festival and view it from a place that does not obstruct the procession or entry into the shrine.

Location and access

Venue and address

Mishima Shrine and other locations in the Komatsu district, Saijo City.

Mishima Shrine is located in Shinyashiki, Komatsu-cho, Saijo City.

Train and bus

Get off at JR Iyo-Komatsu Station.

Source: いよ小松まつり | OMATSURI NAVI｜英語対応、日本のお祭り検索サイト「お祭りナビ」

Event venue 愛媛県西条市 三嶋神社

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

Season

Held annually around October 16 and the 17th.

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

The festival takes place across several neighborhoods and at multiple shrines, so check where to go depending on which events you want to see.

At Mishima Shrine, events include the mikoshi’s departure and return, as well as a dashi procession up the stone steps.

Along the dashi routes and around the shrine, stay in designated viewing areas and do not obstruct the paths used by bearers or festival staff.

Nearby attractions

Roadside Station Komatsu Oasis is listed as a facility associated with the festival.

Even outside the festival period, you can see dashi on display here, along with lanterns from the former Okamura yatai and the various yatai of the Komatsu district.

A related spot for experiencing Komatsu’s dashi culture outside festival days.

Museums and art museumsSaijo City

四国鉄道文化館

愛媛県西条市にある鉄道博物館

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写真：Yasu ( talk ) / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Temples and shrinesSaijo City

石鎚神社

愛媛県西条市にある神社

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写真：Reggaeman / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Komatsu Festival

Yatai offerings in Komatsu are thought to have begun in or after the mid-Edo period.

A record from Takagamo Shrine in 1803 mentions a “gakusha” float, and the Higashimachi yatai is documented in 1832, followed by the Nakamachi Higashigumi yatai in 1848.

After yatai offerings declined for a time following the war, communities began commissioning new yatai and resuming offerings from the late Showa 50s onward. In 2019, the Minamikawa yatai returned after an absence of about 100 years.

Official information

For the schedule and events in each district, see the “Iyo Komatsu Festival” information on the official Saijo City website.

The 2026 schedule is listed separately for kagura at Ishizuchi Shrine, the Daigo event in the Ishine district, and Mishima Shrine in the Komatsu district.

Source: 「西条まつり」のご案内 - 愛媛県西条市ホームページ

Komatsu Festival at a Glance

Komatsu Festival is an autumn festival featuring dashi offerings in the Komatsu district of Saijo City.

The main highlights are the unified kachikurabe, the mikoshi’s departure from and return to Mishima Shrine, and the dashi climbing the stone steps.

You can experience the history of yatai offerings, which dates back to the mid-Edo period, and the festival culture that each community has preserved and nurtured.