A historic festival in Nagoya’s castle town, brought to life by karakuri dashi floats and mikoshi
Nagoya Toshogu Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Event status
- Cancelled
- Season / frequency
- Annually April 16 and the 17th / Once held every year
- Area
- Aichi Prefecture・Nagoya City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This historic festival began with the third anniversary of Tokugawa Ieyasu’s death and brought the streets around Nagoya Castle to life with karakuri and a grand procession of . It was interrupted by wartime destruction, but is known as the root of today’s Nagoya Festival.
About Nagoya Toshogu Festival
The Nagoya Toshogu Festival is a festival held at Nagoya Toshogu Shrine, which enshrines Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu.
It is said to have been started by Lord Tokugawa Yoshinao on the occasion of a memorial service marking the third anniversary of Lord Ieyasu’s death. During the Edo period, it was held as one of the major events representing the castle town of Nagoya.
Samurai, , Buddhist monks, and townspeople took part in a procession featuring mikoshi and dashi floats as it made its way through the castle town.
After the Meiji era, it was also called the “Nagoya Festival” and is considered one of the roots of today’s Nagoya Matsuri.
Festival highlights
The main highlight was the festival procession, led by 3 mikoshi and featuring samurai, Shinto priests, Buddhist monks, townspeople, and dashi floats.
The number of dashi floats eventually reached 9, and they developed into floats carrying karakuri puppets.
The procession made its way along Honmachi-dori, where bamboo barricades and viewing stands were set up along the route as townspeople welcomed the festival.
The 1865 festival marking the 250th anniversary of Lord Ieyasu’s death is said to have drawn more than 6800 participants.
A historic festival in Nagoya’s castle town, brought to life by karakuri dashi floats and mikoshi
What to expect
The festival centered on Shinto rites at Toshogu Shrine, with a procession featuring dashi floats, performances from each neighborhood, and mikoshi.
During the Edo period, the procession gathered in the early morning in front of Misono Gate. After the dashi karakuri puppets were dedicated within Sannomaru, it headed south along Honmachi-dori with the mikoshi to the (temporary shrine).
At the otabisho (temporary shrine), a formal meal was presented to the mikoshi amid gagaku music, and after the rites, the procession returned to Toshogu Shrine.
At rest stops in the neighborhood, participants and guests were also treated to meals, food and drink, and sweets.
Source: 名古屋東照宮祭のごちそう｜名古屋市博物館
Location and access
- Address
Nagoya City
Host municipality 愛知県名古屋市
This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.
Dates and season
- Season
Annually April 16 and the 17th
- Frequency
Once held every year
Accommodation and hotels PR
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Origins and History of Nagoya Toshogu Festival
The Toshogu Festival was begun by Lord Tokugawa Yoshinao on the occasion of a memorial service marking the third anniversary of Lord Ieyasu’s death.
When Toshogu Shrine was completed in Nagoya Castle’s Sannomaru in 1619, dashi floats appeared, and the event eventually developed into a large-scale festival centered on 9 karakuri dashi floats.
It continued to be held by the people of the castle town after the Meiji era, and the Toshogu Festival came to be called the “Nagoya Festival.”
The main shrine building, mikoshi, dashi floats, and other items were lost in the 1945 air raids, bringing the festival procession to an end. However, its legacy was carried forward to today’s Nagoya Matsuri through the 1954 Nagoya Commerce and Industry Festival.
Official information
The official website of Naka Ward, Nagoya, introduces the origins of the Toshogu Festival, its procession, the history of its dashi floats, and how it changed after the air raids.
The enshrined deity of Nagoya Toshogu Shrine is Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the shrine is now located at 2-3 Marunouchi.
For more information about the festival’s history, see the official explanation from Nagoya City and the materials introduced by the Nagoya City Museum.
Nagoya Toshogu Festival at a Glance
The Nagoya Toshogu Festival is a historic festival that began with the third anniversary of Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu’s death and once brought the castle town of Nagoya to life with a grand procession featuring mikoshi, karakuri dashi floats, and costumed performers.
During the Edo period, it was one of the largest events in the castle town, enjoyed by samurai and lords as well as townspeople.
Although the festival itself ended after the air raids, its history and name were carried on through the postwar Nagoya Matsuri.
Source: 新修名古屋市史 資料編「民俗」｜名古屋市公式ウェブサイト
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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