Name: Mitake Yakushi Festival
Start: 2026-04-05
End: 2026-04-05
Location: Nakasendo Mitake Museum parking lot

The Mitake Yakushi Festival is a traditional festival that has been passed down in the Mitake area for more than 1000 years. The dances of the lion and fly chaser, along with the and the movements of the dolls, express prayers for peace throughout the land and bountiful harvests.

About Mitake Yakushi Festival

The Mitake Yakushi Festival is a traditional festival that arose from the lives of local people and has been passed down for more than 1000 years.

The festival is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture and is held on the first Sunday of April each year.

This festival offers prayers for peace throughout the land and bountiful harvests, and the dances performed by the lion and fly chaser are a major highlight.

Festival highlights

One distinctive scene is the lion and fly chaser leading the hikiyama as it slowly makes its way toward the main hall.

The fly chaser, dressed as a woman, taps worshippers along the route with a branch of shikimi and performs a dance meant to ward off misfortune.

Toward the end of the festival, the mountain-circling dolls and the head, body, and tail of a giant serpent move to the hikiyama hayashi. The shrine official doll and the figures of Nikko and Gakko also appear.

A thousand-year-old festival expressing prayers through the fly chaser, lion, and hikiyama hayashi

What to expect

Preparations are made for Matsu-mukae, Oyama, and the hikiyama during the festival.

When the procession reaches the area in front of the main hall, festival prayers are recited and the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra is ritually leafed through. To the beat of the , the fly chaser handles shikimi branches and a pestle.

After that, the hikiyama hayashi begins, followed by hikibyoshi, a children’s dance, Chaurara hayashi, and the mountain-circling hayashi. The festival ends with the shrine official doll being raised and lowered.

How to take part

参加費：無料

Location and access

Venue and address: Nakasendo Mitake Museum parking lot / 1389-1 Mitake, Mitake-cho, Kani-gun, Gifu Prefecture
Train and bus: 3 minutes on foot from Meitetsu Mitake Station
By car: 3 km and 5 minutes via Route 21 from the Kani-Mitake IC on the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway
Parking: Mitake Town Hall parking lot, 50 spaces, free

Address 1389-1 Mitake, Mitake-cho, Kani-gun, Gifu Prefecture

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Dates and season

2026 Event Information (The listed event dates have passed)

The event is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. on April 5, 2026.

This festival is held on the first Sunday of April each year.

Accommodation and hotels PR

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 Gifu Prefecture / Mitake Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

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Origins and History of Mitake Yakushi Festival

According to Gifu Prefecture records, the Mitake Yakushi Daijiki states that the Kani Yakushi appeared from Amagaike in Chotoku 2 (996). The festival began in Choho 1 (999) to commemorate the completion of the Yakushido at what is now Gankoji the following year.

The festival is held on the first Sunday of April each year and was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Gifu Prefecture in Showa 54 March 6.

Matsu-mukae, Oyama, and the hikiyama each symbolize prayers for peace throughout the land and bountiful harvests, the long life and good health of the emperor, and the long-lasting military success of the provincial governor, respectively.

Official information

The event listing on Mitake Town’s official website provides the event date, start time, and venue for April 5, 2026.

Mitake Yakushi Festival at a Glance

The Mitake Yakushi Festival is a festival that has been passed down for more than 1000 years, offering prayers for peace throughout the land and bountiful harvests.

A major feature is the lion and fly chaser leading the hikiyama, with the fly chaser performing an exorcistic dance by tapping worshippers on the head with a branch of shikimi.

The meanings of Matsu-mukae, Oyama, and the hikiyama, as well as the hayashi and the dolls’ movements, bring the prayers of the local community and traditional performing arts together in a single sequence.

Sources and references