The Mitsuke festival brought to life by bare-chested participants and a mikoshi procession through the night
Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri
The 2026 edition of Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/13 〜 2026/09/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- It is held each year mainly on the Saturday and Sunday immediately before day 10 of lunar month 8. / Every year
- Location
- Mitsuke Tenjin Yana Hime Shrine, Mitsuke neighborhood, Omi Kokutama Shrine
- Area
- Shizuoka Prefecture・Iwata City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h–1 h 30 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This eight-day festival, passed down by the local organizations of Mitsuke, runs from rituals to purify the town to the bare-chested participants’ entry into the , followed by the procession and return.
About Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri
The Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri is a major festival held around Yana Hime Shrine in Mitsuke, Iwata.
At its heart is a ritual in which the shrine deity is carried in procession to Totoumi’s Sosha, Omi Kokutama Shrine, and returns to Mitsuke Tenjin the following day.
The festival is not limited to the Hadaka Matsuri; it is an eight-day series of events that includes the opening ceremony, Oshiba-oroshi, Hamagori, the purification of Oike, the annual festival, and the return procession.
It is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Source: 見付天神裸祭｜磐田市公式ウェブサイト / 見付天神裸祭 | 見付天神 公式サイト
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the Hadaka Matsuri, commonly known as the “Oni Odori,” held on the night of the annual festival.
Wearing waist straw skirts, the bare-chested participants split into four groups and parade through town. During the doiri, they enter the shrine’s worship hall in staggered groups and engage in vigorous ritual pushing inside.
Afterward, the mikoshi is carried to the Sosha Shrine through the darkness with the lights turned off, and the next day a procession of about 300 people accompanies its return.
The Mitsuke festival brought to life by bare-chested participants and a mikoshi procession through the night
What to expect
The festival begins with a ceremony marking its start at the former shrine site, followed by Oshiba-oroshi to purify the town, Hamagori to purify participants in the sea, and the purification of Oike to cleanse the .
At the annual festival, the Ura Yasume dance is performed as an offering. In the evening, children’s groups are followed by adult groups parading through the neighborhood.
After the bare-chested participants enter the worship hall in the doiri, the mikoshi is carried in procession to the Sosha Shrine. The next day, it tours the neighborhood before returning to the shrine.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Mitsuke Tenjin Yana Hime Shrine (1114-2 Mitsuke, Iwata, Shizuoka).
The festival includes processions through the Mitsuke neighborhood and to the Sosha Shrine.
- Train and bus
From JR Iwata Station, take Entetsu Bus route 80 for about 7 minutes and get off at Mitsuke bus stop.
A taxi ride from Iwata Station takes about 7 minutes.
- By car
About 7 minutes from the Tomei Iwata IC and about 5 minutes from the Mitsuke IC on the Iwata Bypass.
- Parking
Free parking is available on the shrine grounds.
Large and sightseeing buses should use the second parking lot; visitors are asked to notify the shrine in advance of the number of vehicles.
Source: アクセス | 見付天神 公式サイト
Address 1114-2 Mitsuke, Iwata, Shizuoka
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 schedule was announced for September 13 through the 20th.
The opening ceremony and Oshiba-oroshi were scheduled for September 13, Hamagori for the 16th, the purification of Oike for the 18th, the annual festival and Hadaka Matsuri for the 19th, and the return procession for the 20th.
The main Hadaka Matsuri events are scheduled for September 19.
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 Shizuoka Prefecture / Iwata City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
On the night of the Hadaka Festival, traffic restrictions are in place around town as processions and the mikoshi togyo move through the darkness.
When watching, do not block the route of the procession or the naked participants, and follow the instructions of local staff and festival organizers.
Within the grounds, it is important to observe with the decorum expected of worshippers, from a spot that does not interfere with the festival.
Source: 見付天神 公式サイト | 安産・子育て・縁結び・学問の大神
Nearby attractions
Behind Mitsuke Tenjin is Tsutsuji Park, known for its azaleas and cherry blossoms.
It’s a place to enjoy the nature around the shrine while attending the festival.
Yana Hime Shrine is also known as Mitsuke Tenjin, and the shrine grounds include a statue of Shippeitaro.
You can explore the festival alongside the traditions and scenery of Mitsuke.
淡海國玉神社
静岡県磐田市見付にある神社
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon PowerShot G9 X / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
矢奈比売神社
静岡県磐田市にある神社
Origins and History of Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri
The Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri is said to have begun during the Shoowa era of Emperor Hanazono, and has been held in accordance with day 10 of lunar month 8.
Yana Hime Shrine is an ancient shrine mentioned in the Engishiki of Engi 5 (905), and the festival is supported by local neighborhood organizations as a major festival of the shrine.
It was designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 2000, and its four-group structure and strict period of abstinence are still observed today.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
Official information
The official website of Mitsuke Tenjin Yana Hime Shrine provides information about the dates of the Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri, the sequence of events, access, and more.
You can also find information about preserving and passing on the festival.
Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri at a Glance
The Mitsuke Tenjin Hadaka Matsuri is an eight-day festival centered on Yana Hime Shrine in Mitsuke, Iwata, and is designated a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Rituals to purify the town and the seashore, the Ura Yasume dance, groups of bare-chested participants parading in four divisions, and the mikoshi procession and return procession together make up the festival.
The 2026 schedule was announced for September 13 through the 20th, with the main Hadaka Matsuri events scheduled for September 19.
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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