A spring festival in Minakuchi, where floats move through streets filled with festival music
Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival
The 2026 edition of Minakuchi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/04/19 〜 2026/04/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on April 19 and the 20th / Every year
- Location
- Minakuchi Shrine
- Area
- Shiga Prefecture・Koka City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 20 min–3 h · bullet train + connecting 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
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Floats set out from the neighborhoods for the annual festival of Minakuchi Shrine. Decorated with , the floats and Minakuchi festival music bring the historic town of Minakuchi to life.
About Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival
The Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival is a float procession held as part of the annual festival of Minakuchi Shrine.
Designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Shiga Prefecture, it is best known for its hikiyama floats, dashi decorations, and festival music.
This festival has been passed down by local people, along with the float culture and Minakuchi festival music rooted in the neighborhoods of Minakuchi.
Source: 水口曳山祭 - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
One of the highlights is watching floats set out from the neighborhoods and proceed along the pine-lined approach, with festival music ringing out.
The floats are decorated with dashi depicting scenes from plays and other subjects, and the themes and styles change with each procession.
Look out for the girimawashi, in which a float is tilted at an intersection and its wheels are lifted to turn it, as well as Minakuchi festival music played on drums, gongs, and shinobue flutes.
A spring festival in Minakuchi, where floats move through streets filled with festival music
What to expect
Before the festival, the neighborhoods that provide floats prepare the dashi and rehearse the festival music.
On the eve of the festival, lanterns are hung on the floats and Minakuchi festival music is played.
On the day of the festival, the floats and matoi gather at the , are decorated with dashi, and then parade to Minakuchi Shrine, where festival music is performed before the deities.
In the evening, the floats return to their neighborhoods with lanterns lit in a procession known as Kaeriyama.
How to take part
The people responsible for the hikiyama procession and hayashi are residents of the neighborhoods that made up Minakuchi-juku during the Edo period.
Minakuchi hayashi is passed down within each neighborhood, and in some cases, children take part in lessons from preschool age.
女子の参加や、町の枠を越えた継承活動も広がっています。
Location and access
- Venue
Minakuchi Shrine
- Address
3-14 Miyanomae, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture
Address 3-14 Miyanomae, Minakuchi-cho, Koka City, Shiga Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, April 19 (Sunday) is listed as the eve of the festival, and April 20 (Monday) as the annual festival.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to around 9 p.m. on the 19th, and from 10 a.m. to around 9 p.m. on the 20th.
In a typical year, it is also held on April 19 and the 20th.
Source: 【地図・アクセス】水口曳山祭 - ゴールデンウィーク 2026 / 水口曳山祭（滋賀県／甲賀市）｜開催期間・アクセス｜るるぶ&more.
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 Shiga Prefecture / Koka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
For your safety, watch from a sufficient distance from the floats.
The floats have no brakes like a car, and objects may fall from them, so spectators are asked to keep their route clear.
Along the procession route and within the , stay alert to the movement of the floats and the flow of people around you.
Source: 水口曳山まつり | 水口神社
Nearby attractions
MIHO MUSEUM
滋賀県甲賀市にある博物館
大鳥神社
滋賀県甲賀市にある神社
滋賀サファリ博物館
滋賀県甲賀市信楽町にある博物館
滋賀県立陶芸の森
滋賀県甲賀市の信楽高原にある博物館研究施設
甲賀の里忍術村
滋賀県甲賀市にあるテーマパーク
甲賀流忍術屋敷
滋賀県甲賀市にある忍者屋敷
矢川神社
滋賀県甲賀市甲南町森尻にある神社
飯道山
滋賀県甲賀市と湖南市の境にある山
Origins and History of Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival
The hikiyama floats of the Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival were first dedicated in the mid-Edo period, in Kyoho 20 (1735).
The event is said to have evolved from a shrine festival in which each neighborhood presented a procession, into an urban festival centered on a float procession.
After the Meiji Restoration, the festival rites were revised, and in 1896 it was decided that the current April 20 would be the festival day.
Official information
For official information, see the guidance from Minakuchi Shrine.
Minakuchi Shrine describes the Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival as a festival event held as part of its annual festival, and also provides safety advice for viewing the floats.
Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival at a Glance
The Minakuchi Hikiyama Festival is a cultural heritage event representative of Koka City, with floats parading through town as part of the annual festival of Minakuchi Shrine.
The main highlights are the floats decorated with dashi, Minakuchi festival music, and the girimawashi at intersections.
In 2026, the festival was held on April 19 and the 20th. Around the venue, it is important to keep the floats’ route clear and watch from a safe distance.
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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