Nakanojo’s Tori-oi Festival: 8 neighborhoods joined by taiko
Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- January 13–14
- Location
- Nakanojo, Nakanojo Town; the ; the grounds of Isemiya; and processions through the neighborhoods
- Area
- Gunma Prefecture・Nakanojo Town(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 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
- 2026/11/12
At Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival, carried on by 8 neighborhoods, Tori-oi parade through town from the eve-of-festival celebration into the main festival, with simultaneous taiko performances and mikan throwing.
About Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival
Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival is an intangible folk cultural property organized primarily by neighborhood associations in 8 neighborhoods: the 7 neighborhoods that make up Nakanojo, Nakanojo Town, and Tamachi in Nishinakanojo.
The 8 neighborhoods take turns serving as the host neighborhood each year and coordinating the festival as a whole.
From the eve-of-festival celebration on January 13 through the main festival on the 14th, events include Tori-oi taiko processions, simultaneous taiko performances, and mikan throwing.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the eve-of-festival procession, when each neighborhood decorates its Tori-oi taiko mounted on a cart and parades it through town.
For the main festival, 11 taiko gather on the grounds of Isemiya. After they play together, the procession makes its way through Nakanojo Town, led by the announcement taiko.
Along with the simultaneous taiko performances by each neighborhood, there is also a mikan-throwing event, in which mandarins donated by people of unlucky ages and local shops are tossed to the crowd.
Nakanojo’s Tori-oi Festival: 8 neighborhoods joined by taiko
What to expect
On the morning before the festival, taiko mounted on carts are decorated with oak branches, Okame masks, fans, and Japanese flags bearing the red sun.
In the afternoon, each neighborhood pulls its taiko in a procession, and early on the morning of the main festival, each neighborhood holds its own Dondon-yaki.
After the purification rite around 9 a.m., the simultaneous taiko performance and procession through town, the festival ends with a closing ceremony around 8:30 p.m. The neighborhoods then each hold a Dougyoubarai rite.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Nakanojo, Nakanojo Town (otabisho, grounds of Isemiya, and processions through the neighborhoods)
Address Nakanojo, Nakanojo Town, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
January 13–14
Accommodation and hotels PR
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Origins and History of Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival
Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival is registered as an intangible folk cultural property designated by Gunma Prefecture.
The festival is organized by groups from 8 neighborhoods: 7 in Nakanojo Town, including Kaminocho, and Tamachi in Nishinakanojo. The neighborhoods take turns serving as the host neighborhood each year.
The date of its designation by Gunma Prefecture is recorded as October 20, 2015.
Official information
It is listed as an intangible folk cultural property designated by Gunma Prefecture on the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Cultural Heritage Online.
Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival at a Glance
Nakanojo Town’s Tori-oi Festival is an intangible folk cultural property designated by Gunma Prefecture and organized by groups from 8 neighborhoods.
On the eve of the festival, each neighborhood pulls its Tori-oi taiko in a procession. For the main festival, 11 taiko gather on the grounds of Isemiya.
The festival concludes with a closing ceremony around 8:30 p.m., following the purification rite, simultaneous taiko performance, procession through town, and mikan throwing.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/12
