An autumn festival in Maebashi enlivened by dashi, mikoshi, dance, and music
Maebashi Festival
The 2026 edition of Maebashi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/10 〜 2026/10/11Ended
- Season / frequency
- Saturday and Sunday in October / Every year
- Location
- Throughout the city, mainly in the central shopping district
- Area
- Gunma Prefecture・Maebashi City(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A community-participation autumn festival held in central Maebashi, featuring , , dance, and music.
About Maebashi Festival
Maebashi Festival is a community-participation festival held every autumn in central Maebashi.
It began as a postwar reconstruction festival, and today features a variety of events, including a bugle and wind band parade, adult mikoshi, Gion dashi, the Danbee dance, Japanese drumming, and Yagibushi folk music.
Along with the Maebashi Hatsuichi Festival and Maebashi Festival, it is one of Maebashi’s signature festivals.
Source: でんとうあるお祭り／前橋市 / 前橋まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
One of the highlights is the mix of performers and events that brings the streets to life.
Elementary school students from the city take part in a bugle and wind band parade, while traditional Gion dashi from each neighborhood and spirited adult mikoshi add to the excitement.
You can also enjoy the Danbee dance, performed with naruko clappers shaped like ginkgo leaves, Maebashi’s city tree, as well as Japanese drumming, Yagibushi folk music, and folk dances.
An autumn festival in Maebashi enlivened by dashi, mikoshi, dance, and music
What to expect
At the festival, you can enjoy a series of parades, dashi, mikoshi, dance, and music events along the streets of the central city area.
A distinctive feature is the combination of events led by different groups, including elementary school bugle and wind band performances, adult mikoshi, and neighborhood Gion dashi.
The Danbee dance, folk dances, Yagibushi folk music, and Japanese drumming offer opportunities to experience a variety of cultures while walking through the city streets.
How to take part
The Maebashi Festival is held as an event for local residents to take part in, with activities including the adult mikoshi, Gion dashi, and children’s mikoshi.
In 2026, participant recruitment and application information are available for the adult mikoshi, Gion dashi and children’s mikoshi, and the event stage.
What you can participate in and the requirements vary by event, so please check the information for the event you are interested in.
For 2026, information has been posted about participant recruitment and application forms for the adult mikoshi, Gion dashi and children’s mikoshi, and the event stage.
If you wish to participate, check the application forms on the detailed page for each event and follow the application process.
Application requirements, deadlines, and participation methods vary by event, so check the details after deciding which event you wish to apply for.
Source: 大人みこし 申込書類をアップしました | 前橋まつり / 協賛行事・祇園山車と子供みこし 申込書類をアップしました | 前橋まつり / 前橋まつり【公式サイト】
Location and access
- Venue and address
Throughout the city, mainly in the central shopping district.
Tachikawa-dori and other streets in the central city area are listed as the main venues.
- Train and bus
JR Maebashi Station and Chuo-Maebashi Station on the Jomo Electric Railway are available.
Buses run from the north exit of JR Maebashi Station toward the city center, and Chuo-Maebashi Station is within walking distance.
During the festival, some buses are rerouted and temporary bus stops are set up.
- By car
About 10 minutes from Maebashi IC on the Kan-Etsu Expressway toward National Route 17.
Traffic restrictions are in effect on National Route 50 and other roads during the festival.
- Parking
Municipal parking lots and other facilities are available, but heavy congestion is expected at parking lots and bicycle parking areas in the city center.
Source: 令和8年度 第78回前橋まつりの開催について／前橋市 / 前橋まつりは公共交通で行こう🍺✨ | 前橋交通ポータル
Address Throughout Maebashi City, mainly in the central shopping district
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Maebashi Festival had been announced as scheduled for October 10 (Saturday) and the 11th (Sunday).
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The venues are throughout the city, mainly in the central shopping district. Over 2 days, events include mikoshi, dashi, parades, dance, and music.
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 Gunma Prefecture / Maebashi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Crowding is expected at parking lots and bicycle parking areas in the city center in 2026.
Route buses and other services that travel via National Route 50 will be diverted, and some sections will follow routes different from usual.
Traffic restrictions are also planned on National Route 50 and other roads, so whether you travel by train or bus, it’s a good idea to check the boarding locations and routes for the day before setting out.
Nearby attractions
るなぱあく
群馬県前橋市にある遊園地
アーツ前橋
群馬県前橋市にある美術館
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 430F (Digital IXUS 245 HS) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
敷島公園
群馬県前橋市の公園
Origins and History of Maebashi Festival
Maebashi Festival began in 1948 as the “Reconstruction Festival.”
The following year, in 1949, it was renamed the “Commerce and Industry Festival,” and in 1959 it became the “Maebashi Festival” as it is known today.
Building on the original dashi festival, it has evolved into today’s community-participation event, with the addition of the Danbee dance, Yagibushi folk music, and school bugle and wind band performances.
Official information
The Maebashi Festival official website provides information on the 2026 dates and the latest event details.
The official website publishes details for each event, traffic restriction maps, and participation application forms.
The Maebashi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which serves as the secretariat of the Maebashi Festival Executive Committee, is listed as the contact point.
Source: 令和7年度 第77回前橋まつりの開催について／前橋市
Maebashi Festival at a Glance
Maebashi Festival is a community-participation autumn festival held in central Maebashi.
Enjoy events for different generations and neighborhoods all at once, including elementary school bugle and wind band performances, adult mikoshi, Gion dashi, the Danbee dance, Yagibushi folk music, and Japanese drumming.
In 2026, the festival will be held on October 10 (Saturday) and Sunday the 11th. Please be aware of traffic restrictions and bus detours.
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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