A festival where giant illuminated lanterns collide fiercely in the town at night
Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival
The 2026 edition of Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/21 〜 2026/08/22Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year, on a Friday and Saturday in mid-August / Once a year
- Location
- Throughout Numata Town
- Area
- Hokkaido・Numata Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · flight time only)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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Giant Yotaka andon lanterns parade through the town, lighting up the night in Numata, and the festival reaches its climax with large lanterns colliding with one another. Passed down through ties with Oyabe City in Toyama Prefecture, this is a signature summer festival of Numata Town.
About Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival
The Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival is a nighttime festival held every year in Numata Town, Hokkaido.
Yotaka andon lanterns of various sizes parade through town, and at night, large lanterns collide with one another.
It was passed down through ties with Oyabe City in Toyama Prefecture, the birthplace of Kisaburo Numata, the pioneer of Numata Town, and has been carried on as a signature town event.
Source: 沼田町夜高あんどん祭り - Wikipedia / 夜高あんどん祭り公式サイト | 北海道沼田町 – 沼田夜高あんどん祭りは北海道3大あんどん祭りのひとつですが、北海道では唯一の喧嘩あんどん祭です。毎年8月第4金曜日と土曜日の2日間に渡り斎行されています。ぜひご参加、見学に訪れてみてください！
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the “butting contest,” where large lanterns facing each other—about 7 meters tall, 12 meters long, and weighing about 5 tons—collide.
Light shines through washi lanterns decorated in vivid colors, revealing their three-dimensional forms against the night sky.
There is also a contest to judge the lanterns, so visitors can enjoy both the parade and the competition.
Source: 夜高あんどん祭り｜イベント｜【公式】北海道の観光・旅行情報サイト HOKKAIDO LOVE!
A festival where giant illuminated lanterns collide fiercely in the town at night
What to expect
At the festival, Yotaka andon lanterns, combining floats, elements, and hanging lanterns, parade through town.
At night, lights are lit inside the lanterns, making the colorfully decorated dashi floats and hanging lanterns stand out vividly.
On both nights, large lanterns face off and crash together with a loud bang in a mock battle, trying to crush each other’s hanging lanterns.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Throughout Numata Town (Numata Town, Uryu District, Hokkaido)
- Train and bus
About a 3-minute walk from JR Ishikari-Numata Station.
- By car
It is about 5 minutes from Numata IC on the Fukagawa-Rumoi Expressway.
- Parking
In 2026, numerous temporary parking lots were provided in town, with 24 temporary parking lots listed near the festival site.
Free buses were scheduled to run every 20 minutes from the Snow Cool Rice Factory special parking lot between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Source: 令和8年 沼田町夜高あんどん祭り(北海道)の詳細データ｜ウォーカープラス
Address Numata Town, Uryu District, Hokkaido
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the festival was held over 2 days on August 21 (Friday) and the 22nd (Saturday).
It is usually held on a Friday and Saturday in mid-August, and continues to take place over 2 days each year.
It is reported that the 2026 festival concluded successfully on August 24.
Source: 北海道沼田町｜ 令和8年沼田町夜高あんどん祭りについて
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 Hokkaido / Numata Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Traffic restrictions begin at 4 p.m. on both days in the city center, so visitors arriving by car are advised to come early.
Many temporary parking lots will be available, but severe congestion is expected.
When watching the clashes between large lanterns, follow staff directions and take care not to enter restricted areas or the lanterns’ route.
Nearby attractions
Nearby attractions featured in festival-related tourism information include Horoshin Onsen, Hokuryu Sunflower Village and Sunflower Festival, Ebeotsu Onsen, and Kinteki Sake Brewery.
Kamui Ski Links, Kamuikotan, the Kamuikotan pothole group, and Kamuiiwa Onsen are also listed as nearby attractions.
Please check each venue’s information for its operating status and travel times.
Origins and History of Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival
The festival began through ties to Kisaburo Numata, the pioneer of Numata Town, who was from Oyabe City in Toyama Prefecture.
In 1977, 9 Numata Town residents visited the Yotaka Andon Festival in the Tsurusawa district of Oyabe City and asked to hold the festival in Numata Town as well. This was how it began.
That same year, they received guidance from people in the Tsurusawa district and held the first festival with 2 andon lanterns. The festival has followed its current schedule since 2004.
Official information
The official Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival website, operated by the festival committee, provides information about the festival’s history, its andon lanterns, and festival news.
Information about the 2026 festival, traffic restrictions, and temporary parking lots is also available.
Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival at a Glance
At the Numata Town Yotaka Andon Festival, giant illuminated andon lanterns parade through town, and at night, large lanterns collide with one another.
The festival began in 1977 through ties with Oyabe City in Toyama Prefecture, and held its 50th edition in 2026.
In 2026, it was held on August 21 and the 22nd, with venues throughout Numata Town.
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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