A summer festival where dashi carrying on 300 years of tradition bring color to the town
Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri
The 2026 edition of Kurikoma Matsuri has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/25 〜 2026/07/26Ended
- Season / frequency
- Saturday and Sunday in late July each year / Every year
- Location
- Baba-dori, Iwagasaki, Kurikoma, Kurihara City
- Area
- Miyagi Prefecture・Kurihara City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · 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
A summer festival of dashi and festival music passed down in the Iwagasaki district of Kurikoma, Kurihara City. Rooted in a tradition of praying for bountiful harvests, dashi depicting history and stories parade through the town.
About Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri
Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri is a summer festival held in the Iwagasaki district of Kurikoma, Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture.
Carrying on the “Nitta no O-Sanaefuri” from the domain era, it has been passed down in the community as an event praying for bountiful harvests.
After taking the forms of decorated dashi and katsugi-yama, the festival now features lavish dashi parading through the town.
The 2-day event comprises the eve festival and the main festival, and also features distinctive festival music.
Source: 2026くりこま山車まつり '26.7.25(土)・26(日) ｜観光・旅行情報サイト 宮城まるごと探訪 / くりこま山車まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
The highlight is the lavish dashi depicting scenes from history and stories.
Made by different districts, the dashi reach about 4 meters in height and vary widely, from imposing designs to finely crafted ones.
The eve festival features a combined performance of festival music, torimai, hand dances, and a dashi parade. At the main festival, several dashi proceed through the town.
Source: くりこま山車まつり | イベント一覧 | ぎゅぎゅっとくりはら
A summer festival where dashi carrying on 300 years of tradition bring color to the town
What to expect
The festival consists of the eve festival and the main festival.
The eve festival features torimai, hand dances, festival music, and a dashi parade, and is listed as an event that continues into the evening.
At the main festival, the dashi parade through the town following a combined performance of festival music.
Enjoy local performing arts and the dashi procession in sequence on the streets around the venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Baba-dori, Iwagasaki, Kurikoma, Kurihara City.
Rokkamachi-dori near the venue is also listed as part of the parade route.
- Train and bus
About 20 minutes by car from JR Kurikoma-Kogen Station, a Shinkansen station.
- By car
About 15 minutes and 10 km from Wakayanagi-Kanari IC on the Tohoku Expressway.
Source: 交通アクセス | くりこま山車まつり公式ホームページ
Address Baba-dori, Iwagasaki, Kurikoma, Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
For 2026, the eve festival was scheduled for July 25 (Saturday) from 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the main festival for July 26 (Sunday) from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Both are held on Baba-dori, Iwagasaki, Kurikoma, Kurihara City.
The event goes ahead in rain, but is canceled in the event of a typhoon or heavy rain severe enough to prompt a warning.
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 Miyagi Prefecture / Kurihara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
According to the 2026 information, the event goes ahead in ordinary rain but is canceled in the event of a typhoon or heavy rain severe enough to prompt a warning.
The eve festival is scheduled to continue into the evening, so plan your visit around the event times.
The venue is on streets in the district, centered around Baba-dori. Please be mindful of the dashi parade and traffic conditions.
Nearby attractions
The Iwagasaki district of Kurikoma, where the venue is located, is home to the Rokkamachi-dori shopping street.
It is described as a retro shopping street, and the information says new local businesses have also increased in the central area, prompted by the opening of cafes.
A local shopping street near the festival venue where visitors can experience the town’s atmosphere alongside the dashi procession.
Origins and History of Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri
The festival is said to have originated with the “Nitta no O-Sanaefuri,” an event held during the domain era to pray for bountiful harvests.
Initially, it was held as entertainment for residents’ agricultural work, with decorated dashi kept stationary.
Later, these became “katsugi-yama” carried on people’s shoulders, and in recent years the festival has evolved into its present form, with dashi recreating scenes from history and stories parading through the town.
A tradition of about 300 years continues to be passed down.
Official information
The official Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri website has information about the 2026 event and notices from previous years.
The phone number for the Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri Executive Committee is also provided for inquiries about the event.
Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri at a Glance
Kurikoma Dashi Matsuri is a dashi festival in the Iwagasaki district of Kurikoma, Kurihara City, with a tradition of about 300 years.
Dashi about 4 meters tall, depicting history and stories, parade through the town. The festival also features distinctive festival music, torimai, and hand dances.
For 2026, the eve festival on July 25 and the main festival on the 26th were listed, with the venue on Baba-dori.
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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