Niiname-sai

Festival highlights

A highlight is the rite of offering newly harvested grain before the kami in autumn to express gratitude for the harvest.

At Kawawa Jinja, it is said that people pray for a bountiful harvest of the five grains at the spring Kinensai, then give thanks for that harvest at the autumn Niiname-sai.

The event is also connected with Tsutsugayu-sai, a rite that divines whether crops will be plentiful or poor, offering a glimpse into the relationship between farming and festivals.

Ninomiya’s autumn festival, where new grain is offered and gratitude for the harvest is passed down

What to expect

At the festival, new grain from the autumn harvest is offered before the kami, and a grand festival expressing gratitude for the new grain is held.

Kawawa Jinja’s rites are described as following a cycle in which people pray for a bountiful harvest in spring and make offerings in gratitude for the harvest in autumn.

Details such as the specific offering procedures, conditions for attending, and schedule on the day are not available in the information that could be confirmed.

Location and access

Venue and address

Kawawa Jinja, 2122 Yamanishi, Ninomiya Town, Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture

Train and bus

JR Tokaido Main Line, Ninomiya Station / 5-minute walk from Yurigaoka Saka-shita bus stop / 5-minute walk from Kawa’wa Jinja Iriguchi bus stop / 6-minute walk from Kawawa no Ie Iriguchi bus stop

Parking

Yes

Source: ⛩川勾神社｜神奈川県中郡二宮町 - 八百万の神

Address 2122 Yamanishi, Ninomiya Town, Naka District, Kanagawa Prefecture

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Dates and season

It is listed as scheduled to be held on November 23, 2026.

Accommodation and hotels PR

Nearby attractions

If you head west from the front of Kawawa Jinja’s parking lot, you’ll find “Kawawa no Yuba,” once known as a hot-spring treatment destination.

It flourished in the Meiji era with inns that used mineral springs. After the Great Kanto Earthquake, the buildings collapsed and the water channels changed, but it is said that a small amount of water still emerges.

Origins and History of Niiname-sai

A record of the shrine’s origins from Kan’ei 19 (1642) states that Kawawa Jinja was founded during the reign of Emperor Sujin. It has been identified as “Kawawa Jinja, Yokoryō District, Sagami Province” in the Engishiki Jinmyōchō.

Niiname-sai is an autumn festival paired with the spring Kinensai, a rite in which new grain is offered before the kami and thanks are given for the harvest.

The shrine has also held Tsutsugayu-sai since ancient times, a rite that divines whether crops will be plentiful or poor, and the connection between local farming and festivals is passed down.

Official information

川勾神社の公式Webサイトとして、kawawajinja.com↗ が案内されています。

Niiname-sai at a Glance

Niiname-sai is an autumn festival at Kawawa Jinja in Ninomiya Town, expressing gratitude for the new grain.

It is said that people pray for a bountiful harvest of the five grains at the spring Kinensai, then offer the newly harvested grain before the kami at the autumn Niiname-sai.

It is listed as scheduled to be held on November 23 in 2026.