Toyama’s devotional Chigo-mai, brought to life by red costumes, flutes, and drums
Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine (Toyama City)
The 2026 edition of Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine (Toyama City) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/25Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every August 25 / Every year
- Location
- Kumano Shrine
- Area
- Toyama Prefecture・Toyama City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 h 40 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
A sacred dance passed down at Kumano Shrine in Nakana, Fuchu-machi, Toyama City, performed by 4 children in red costumes. Visitors can see 7 types of dances offered to the accompaniment of drums and flutes, as well as the old practice of carrying the children without setting them down on the ground.
About Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine (Toyama City)
The Chigo-mai of Kumano Shrine is a dance performed by children and passed down in the local community, offered during the autumn festival at Kumano Shrine in Nakana, Fuchu-machi, Toyama City.
It is one of the “Chigo-mai of Etchu,” designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, and is performed by 4 children wearing red costumes.
Distinctive features include 7 dances performed to the accompaniment of drums and flutes, and the practice of adults carrying the children without setting them down on the ground.
Source: 8/25 熊野神社稚児舞 - 富山市公式観光サイト
Festival highlights
A highlight is the 7 types of dances performed by 4 children in red costumes to the accompaniment of drums and flutes.
The number of performers varies by dance: “Hoko no Mai” and “Kako no Mai” are performed by 2 dancers, while “Rinka no Mai” and “Bairo no Mai” are performed by 4, among others.
Before and after the dances, the children are carried on adults’ shoulders so they do not touch the ground, preserving an old ritual practice.
Source: 施設｜とやま学遊ネット
Toyama’s devotional Chigo-mai, brought to life by red costumes, flutes, and drums
What to expect
The event features 4 children selected from local elementary schools—2 older chigo and 2 younger chigo—wearing red costumes and performing dances on a stage in front of the .
7 types of dances, including “Hoko no Mai,” “Kako no Mai,” and “Rinka no Mai,” are performed to the accompaniment of drums and flutes.
From the time they put on their costumes until the ritual ends, the children do not touch the ground and are carried by adults.
A is also offered before the dances.
How to take part
The dancers are children selected from local elementary schools, and the dance is not performed with general visitors joining in.
According to the 2026 information, the event is introduced as an opportunity to watch the dance up close, and admission is free.
The information does not say whether general visitors can participate as child dancers or musicians.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kumano Shrine (851-1 Nakana, Fuchu-machi, Toyama City)
- Train and bus
About 12 minutes from Toyama Station on the JR Takayama Main Line. Get off at Hayahoshi Station, then take a taxi for about 7 minutes.
- By car
About 15 minutes from the Toyama Nishi IC on the Hokuriku Expressway.
- Parking
Free parking available.
Address 851-1 Nakana, Fuchu-machi, Toyama City
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the Chigo-mai was scheduled as part of the autumn festival at Kumano Shrine, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on August 25 (Tuesday).
It is held annually on August 25.
The event goes ahead in rain, but will be canceled if heavy rain or typhoon-like winds and rain are deemed dangerous.
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 Toyama Prefecture / Toyama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The 2026 offering was scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., spanning the evening into night.
In rainy weather, the performance goes ahead on a temporary stage. However, it may be canceled in severe weather.
The children are regarded as vessels for the deity and, as part of a ritual, are moved without touching the ground. Please take care not to obstruct the proceedings or their movement while watching.
Source: 熊野神社の稚児舞 (富山市) - Wikipedia
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Origins and History of Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine (Toyama City)
There are multiple traditions about the origins of the Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine.
According to local tradition, when a plague spread in 1704, a dance was offered in response to a divine oracle; the disease then subsided and the harvest was plentiful.
The national designation explanation, however, says that the dance was transmitted from Kamo Shrine to Nakana during the Tensho era. Today, it is preserved as one of the “Chigo-mai of Etchu.”
In 1982, it was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Source: 越中の稚児舞 | 富山県 | 日本の文化遺産を探す｜国宝・重要文化財データベース / 文化財一覧（婦中地域・山田地域）｜富山市公式ウェブサイト
Official information
Event information is available on Toyama City’s official tourism website under “Kumano Shrine Chigo-mai.”
It includes the 2026 event date and time, venue, admission fee, transport, parking, and arrangements for rainy weather.
Information about its cultural property designation is also available on Toyama City’s official website.
Chigo-mai at Kumano Shrine (Toyama City) at a Glance
The Chigo-mai of Kumano Shrine is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property, performed as an offering every August 25 in Nakana, Fuchu-machi, Toyama City.
4 children in red costumes perform 7 types of dances to the accompaniment of drums and flutes. An old ritual practice is also preserved in which they are carried from place to place without touching the ground.
In 2026, the event was scheduled to take place at Kumano Shrine from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on August 25.
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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