A lively autumn festival as mikoshi and dashi race through the streets of Kuze
Kuze Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Around October 24–26 every year / Every year
- Location
- Around the Chugoku Bank Kuze Branch and the area in front of Kuze Station
- Area
- Okayama Prefecture・Maniwa City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 10 min–3 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Kuze Festival, celebrated in Kuze, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, features and parading through town, followed by the Fight at night.
About Kuze Festival
Kuze Festival is an autumn festival held in Kuze, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture.
Mikoshi from 5 shrines and boat-shaped dashi from the neighborhoods travel along the old highway and through the town center.
During the daytime festival procession, bells and drums ring out. At night, dashi face off in an event known as the “Danjiri Fight.”
It has been passed down as a festival that brings together local shrines and neighborhood organizations.
Source: 久世祭り - Wikipedia / 久世祭り | OMATSURI NAVI｜英語対応、日本のお祭り検索サイト「お祭りナビ」
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the “Danjiri Fight,” in which the iron-plated rear ends of dashi are forcefully rammed into each other.
The dashi charge from a distance of several meters, aiming to strike the side of the opposing float with their sharply angled iron plating.
Sparks may fly when the dashi collide, and the action continues at a lively pace amid festival music and shouts.
During the daytime festival procession, you can also see “Sasa Fights,” in which young men hold bamboo grass.
A lively autumn festival as mikoshi and dashi race through the streets of Kuze
What to expect
The festival unfolds over the eve festival, main festival, and later festival.
At the main festival, mikoshi from 5 shrines lead the procession, followed by 9 or 10 dashi that travel through town playing festival music.
The later festival centers on the festival procession featuring dashi, without mikoshi, and the Danjiri Fight at night.
The finale also features mochi being thrown from the roofs of the dashi.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
参加費：無料
Location and access
- Venue and address
Around the Chugoku Bank Kuze Branch and the area in front of Kuze Station.
The address is 2848 Kuze, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture.
- Train and bus
You can reach the area on foot from JR Kuze Station.
- By car
You can reach the area by car from Kuze IC.
- Parking
Parking is listed at the riverside, Maniwa City Hall, and the former Senkyo Elementary School, where free parking is available.
Source: 2026年 久世祭り(だんじり) 開催情報｜日程 · スケジュール · Parking · 場所 · Access · 出店 · 内容 - おおむね観光ちゃんねる｜旅行エンタメ情報サイト
Address 2848 Kuze, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture
Dates and season
In 2026, the eve festival is held on October 24, the main festival on October 25, and the back festival on October 26.
The Five-Shrine Festival Procession and the Danjiri Fight at night are scheduled for the 25th, while the Dashi Festival Procession and the Danjiri Fight at night are scheduled for the 26th.
Some information describes it as a 3-day festival including October 24, while other listings say the main events are held on October 25 and 26.
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 Okayama Prefecture / Maniwa City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
In the Danjiri Fight, the dashi charge from a distance and forcefully collide their iron-plated sections.
Dashi may come close to spectators at the venue, so be mindful of their direction of travel and the movements of people around you while watching.
Some sections are listed as closed to vehicle traffic on the 25th and 26th.
Follow the on-site guidance on the day regarding conditions for using parking and road restrictions.
Nearby attractions
The former Senkyo Elementary School is listed as a nearby attraction around the festival site.
In the 2026 information, this facility is also listed as one of the free parking areas.
Check on-site guidance for the festival route, the extent of road restrictions, and how these relate to the locations of facilities.
ヒルゼン高原センター
岡山県真庭市にあるレジャー施設
Origins and History of Kuze Festival
The Kuze Festival is said to date back to the Genroku era.
According to the history of Kuze Shrine, the annual grand festival is said to have included mikoshi from other shrines gathering together, as well as a ceremony featuring traditional prayers and offerings.
Kuze Shrine lost its records in a fire in Eiroku 12, and its founding date and history are unknown.
The festival continues to involve multiple shrines and dashi from the local community.
Source: 久世神社｜岡山県の神社を探す｜岡山県神社庁
Official information
久世祭りの公式サイトとして、久世祭り公式サイト（kusedanjiri.com）が案内されています。
You can use it to check information on the 2026 festival dates, venues, parking, and the Danjiri Fight.
Kuze Festival at a Glance
The Kuze Festival is an autumn festival in which mikoshi and dashi travel through the streets of Kuze, Maniwa City, with the Danjiri Fight held at night.
The festival has different highlights by day and night, including bells and drums, Sasa Fights, and sparks from the iron-plated dashi colliding.
The 2026 festival is listed as running from the eve festival on October 24 through the back festival on the 26th, though the main events are concentrated on the 25th and 26th.
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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