Seven dances of Kotaki, passed down on an earthen stage
Kotaki Chokurairo Mai
The 2026 edition of Kotaki Chokurairo Mai has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/30Ended
- Season / frequency
- The final Saturday of May / Once a year
- Location
- Earthen stage in the precincts of Kinpo Shrine
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Nikaho City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
At Kinpo Shrine in Kotaki, nestled among mountains and rivers, seven dances featuring masks and flower hats are dedicated on an earthen stage. and processions mingle with the sounds of drums and flutes, offering an up-close experience of the Ennen performing arts preserved by the local community.
About Kotaki Chokurairo Mai
The Kotaki Chokurairo Mai is a traditional performing art dedicated at the annual festival of Kinpo Shrine in Kotaki, Kisakata, Nikaho, Akita.
It is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and the earthen stage, known as Chokurairo-yama or Embudai, is where the dances are dedicated.
Passed down as an Ennen performing art associated with Chokai mountain asceticism, it is now preserved by a local society.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the seven dances performed on an earthen stage measuring about 3.6 meters square and about 60 centimeters high.
Young men and boys perform different dances using masks of Ryo-o and Nasori, flower hats, naginata, and other items.
The dance is accompanied by drums, flutes, hand cymbals, and shaku-byoshi clappers. At the end, visitors traditionally take home flowers from the flower hats.
Seven dances of Kotaki, passed down on an earthen stage
What to expect
At the annual festival, a lion dance is first dedicated at the shrine, after which a procession proceeds from the designated host home to Kinpo Shrine.
The procession, joined by a and masked performers, heads to the earthen stage in the shrine precincts. After circling the stage, the performers dedicate the Gohoto no Mai and seven dances.
The dances—Kusha, Arakane, Kojiri, Taiheiraku, Sobo, Nubatama, and Enbu—are performed in order, and the festival concludes with flowers from the flower hats being distributed.
Source: 小滝のチョウクライロ舞 文化遺産オンライン
How to take part
The dances are performed by the Chokai-san Kotaki Preservation Society, whose members are residents of the Kotaki area.
Performers, such as young men and boys, are assigned to each dance.
No participant recruitment or performance requirements are stated for general visitors; the event is presented as one to enjoy by watching.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Earthen stage in the precincts of Kinpo Shrine (2 Kotaki Hitsuseki, Kisakata, Nikaho, Akita)
- Train and bus
From JR Kisakata Station, take the Nikaho City Community Bus on the Kamigo-Kotaki Line and get off at Naso-taki-mae.
It takes about 40 minutes.
- By car
From the Kisakata Interchange on the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway, follow Prefectural Route 58 toward Mount Chokai for about 6 minutes.
- Parking
Free parking is available at the Naso no Shirataki parking lot.
Source: 「鳥海山小滝番楽舞・チョウクライロ舞」令和8年開催のお知らせ | にかほ市観光協会
Address 2 Kotaki Hitsuseki, Kisakata, Nikaho, Akita
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the annual festival was held on May 30 (Saturday), with the Chokurairo Mai scheduled to be dedicated from around 11 a.m.
As the dance follows the rituals of the shrine’s annual festival, its start time may vary.
It is usually held on the final Saturday of May.
Accommodation and hotels PR
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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 Akita Prefecture / Nikaho City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The start time may vary depending on how the shrine’s annual festival rituals proceed, so it’s best to allow some flexibility when arriving around 11 a.m.
The venue is an earthen stage within the , an outdoor stage unlike a typical indoor venue.
As there may be announcements that the event will move to a nearby Folklore Museum in case of rain, please check the venue on the day.
Nearby attractions
Around the venue, you can visit Naso no Shirataki Falls, Naso Gorge, and scenic spots associated with Mount Chokai.
Naso no Shirataki Falls is introduced as a sightseeing spot near Kinpo Shrine, while Mount Chokai, visible from the Kotaki area, is also an object of mountain worship.
On the coastal side, Kisakata’s scenic spots are also nearby, making it possible to explore the cultural landscape of mountains, rivers, and sea surrounding Kotaki alongside the festival.
TDK歴史みらい館
秋田県にかほ市にある企業博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
フェライト子ども科学館
秋田県にかほ市にある科学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
白瀬南極探検隊記念館
秋田県にかほ市の科学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
金峰神社 (にかほ市)
にかほ市にある神社
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Kotaki Chokurairo Mai
According to tradition, after an evil spirit on Mount Chokai was defeated in the 9th century, the Hakkosai festival was held in gratitude for divine protection, and the dance performed then became the Chokurairo Mai.
A record believed to date from 1838, in the late Edo period, documents the names of the seven dances, their lyrics, and their meanings.
In modern times, local parishioner volunteers took over the performances, and since Showa 39 (1964), a preservation society has been responsible for passing them on.
Official information
The cultural properties guide on Nikaho City’s official website provides information on the venue, time of year, origins, dances, and access.
The 2026 festival information can be found in an announcement by the Nikaho City Tourism Association.
Kotaki Chokurairo Mai at a Glance
The Kotaki Chokurairo Mai is an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kotaki, Nikaho City, featuring seven dances dedicated on the earthen stage in the precincts of Kinpo Shrine.
Following a lion dance and procession, masked dances using flower hats, naginata, and other items are performed to the sounds of drums and flutes.
In 2026, it was held on May 30, and flowers from the flower hats were distributed afterward.
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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