A traditional event sending misfortune away from Kamimachi to the sound of bells, taiko drums, and song
Koto no Kami Okuri
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The Sunday closest to February 8
- Location
- Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City (near the foot of Kamimura Bridge, the large rock north of Shohachiman-gu Shrine, and other sites)
- Area
- Nagano Prefecture・Iida City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 50 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Koto no Kami Okuri, passed down in Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City, is a folk event in which participants walk through the village carrying paper streamers and flags to send epidemics and calamities away.
About Koto no Kami Okuri
Koto no Kami Okuri is an event passed down in Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City, in which epidemics and calamities that befall the village are sent away.
Paper streamers made of colored paper and flags attached to bamboo poles are carried to the village boundary and left there.
It is designated an Iida City Folk Cultural Property and is also called “Sending Off the God of Colds.”
It is now held on the Sunday closest to February 8.
Source: ことの神送り - 飯田市ホームページ
Festival highlights
One highlight is watching the children play bells and drums as they walk, singing, “Send off the god of Tōtō (Kōtō)!”
The Koto no Kami Okuri song is sung near the foot of Kamimura Bridge and in front of the monuments to Akiba Shrine and Konpira Shrine.
At the end, participants leave the paper streamers, flags, and other items at the large rock north of Shohachiman-gu Shrine, then return after passing under the yudasuki rope.
A traditional event sending misfortune away from Kamimachi to the sound of bells, taiko drums, and song
What to expect
At 10 a.m., the neighborhood association’s event coordinator gathers at the yado to prepare paper streamers, flags, willow branches, owaki, and other items.
After performing purification rites and other ceremonies at the Shimizu family home, participants eat tofu soup and share a lunch to open the sacred sake.
At 1 p.m., they head to Kamimura Bridge, proceeding with songs, bells, and taiko drums, and offer songs at various places before leaving the items at the large rock.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City (near the foot of Kamimura Bridge, the large rock north of Shohachiman-gu Shrine, and other sites)
- By car
60 minutes by car from the Iida Interchange on the Chuo Expressway
Address Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City
Dates and season
- Season
The Sunday closest to February 8
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 Nagano Prefecture / Iida City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
As this is a religious ceremony, visitors should watch quietly and take care not to disrupt the local proceedings.
The procession travels from near the foot of Kamimura Bridge to the large rock north of Shohachiman-gu Shrine.
According to custom, those returning after passing under the yudasuki rope must not look back.
Nearby attractions
飯田市立動物園
長野県飯田市にある動物園
飯田市美術博物館
長野県飯田市にある美術館兼博物館
Origins and History of Koto no Kami Okuri
It is not known when the kami-okuri tradition in the Toyama Valley began, but records show that a similar event was held in Tenryu Village, Shimoina District, during the Sengoku period.
In the past, it was held on February 8 and December 8, and the destination and direction also varied by season.
After the war, the practice was discontinued in many districts; it is now held in Kamimachi in February.
Official information
The Iida City website’s cultural property profile describes the origins and preparations for Koto no Kami Okuri, the ceremonies, the procession route, its history, and access information.
It was designated by Kamimura as an Iida City Folk Cultural Property in Heisei 10, November 27.
Koto no Kami Okuri at a Glance
Koto no Kami Okuri is an event in Kamimura Kamimachi, Iida City, in which epidemics and calamities are sent away from the village.
After the morning preparations and ceremonies, followed by a lunch of tofu soup and sacred sake, participants proceed from Kamimura Bridge to the large rock in the afternoon, accompanied by bells, taiko drums, and song.
The sequence of leaving the paper streamers and flags, then returning after passing under the yudasuki rope, carries on the community’s prayers and customs.
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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