A festival where Morioka dances through summer to the sounds of drums and flutes
Morioka Sansa Odori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Usually in early August (August 1–4) / Every year
- Area
- Iwate Prefecture・Morioka City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 10 min–2 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Open to public participation / spectators welcome
- Required number of participants
- Groups must have at least 30 participants
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Morioka Sansa Odori is a traditional summer event in Morioka that carries on dances said to originate in the Legend of the Three Stones. The festival features parades accompanied by drums and flutes, as well as a grand circle dance, and spectators can join the circle.
About Morioka Sansa Odori
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Cygnus_morioka File:Iwate Morioka Sansa odori m.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 https://search.find47.jp/ja/i/YMlU6Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: yisris File:Tohoku Rokkonsai Festival 2nd Morioka Sansa-Odori.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 Tohoku Six-Souls Festival (東北六魂祭)Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Marho File:Sansa Odori Morioka 2017.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Morioka Sansa Odori is a traditional summer event passed down in Morioka.
The festival centers on dances handed down from the feudal domain era, accompanied by the sounds of drums and flutes.
Today, it is cherished as one of Morioka’s signature summer events and offers an opportunity to introduce local traditional performing arts to a wider audience.
Source: 盛岡市のお祭り｜盛岡市公式ホームページ
Festival highlights
A highlight is the parade, where dancers move to the powerful beat of the drums and the light tones of the flutes.
On the final day, the “World’s Largest Taiko Drum Parade” takes place. In the past, the festival also attempted a world record for simultaneous taiko drumming.
The festival also concludes with a grand circle dance that anyone can join.
A festival where Morioka dances through summer to the sounds of drums and flutes
What to expect
At the festival, you can watch dance parades accompanied by drums, flutes, and other instruments.
To participate as a group, form a group through a workplace, community, school, or similar organization, and arrange for dancers and taiko performers.
Individual visitors can also enjoy joining part of the parade or the circle dance after it ends.
Source: “さんさ”に参加する｜参加する｜盛岡さんさ踊り 公式ホームページ
How to take part
General participation is welcome.
Residents and tourists who come to watch can also join the Morioka Junior Chamber flower float or take part in the ring dances held at 6 locations around the venue after the parade.
Visitors are advised that anyone can join the ring dance, regardless of what they are wearing.
To take part in the parade as a group, you must organize a group of at least 30 people.
The groups are arranged with about 5 dancers for every 1 taiko drummer.
If you’d like to take part as an individual, you can join a flower float or the ring dance, or contact the organizing committee to ask about joining a group open to the public.
Location and access
- Address
Morioka City
Host municipality 岩手県盛岡市
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
- Season
Usually in early August (August 1–4)
- Frequency
Every year
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 Iwate Prefecture / Morioka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
The access information for the venue lists the lawn area in Morioka Castle Ruins Park as one of the free bicycle parking locations.
Morioka Castle Ruins Park is located at 1-37 Uchimaru, Morioka, and its relationship to the area around the festival venue is noted as a place to leave your bicycle while watching the festival.
The materials do not provide detailed information about attractions or opening hours as a tourist site.
Source: 会場へのアクセス｜見る｜盛岡さんさ踊り 公式ホームページ
もりおか啄木・賢治青春館
岩手県盛岡市にある文学館
写真：663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
岩手県立博物館
岩手県盛岡市にある博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
岩手県立美術館
岩手県盛岡市にある美術館
写真：yisris / Yuichi / CC BY-SA 2.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
志波城
岩手県盛岡市にあった古代城柵
写真：小池 隆 / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
桜山神社
岩手県盛岡市にある神社
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
榊山稲荷神社
盛岡市の神社
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
盛岡八幡宮
岩手県盛岡市にある神社
写真：663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
盛岡城
岩手県の城
写真：663highland / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
盛岡市子ども科学館
岩手県盛岡市にある科学館
写真：Ebiebi2 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
石川啄木記念館
岩手県盛岡市にある文学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Morioka Sansa Odori
Morioka Sansa Odori features dances passed down since the feudal domain era.
Its origins are said to come from the Legend of the Three Stones, which has been passed down in Morioka.
This tradition has been passed down to the present day and has become an established feature of Morioka’s summer.
In 2014, the festival attempted to set a world record for simultaneous taiko drum performance and achieved a performance by 3437 people at the same time.
Official information
The official Morioka Sansa Odori website provides information on the event, parade, participation, dance steps, and origins.
Source: 盛岡さんさ踊り 公式ホームページ
Morioka Sansa Odori at a Glance
Morioka Sansa Odori is a summer festival in Morioka featuring dances passed down since the feudal domain era and a parade accompanied by the sounds of drums and flutes.
Highlights include the World’s Largest Taiko Drum Parade and the grand circle dance on the final day.
Visitors can join in, not just watch, by taking part in the flower floats or circle dances.
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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