A traditional festival in Nakajima-machi, Nanao, featuring soaring deep crimson banners
Okuma-kabuto Festival
The 2026 edition of Okuma-kabuto Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on September 20 / Every year
- Location
- Kumakabuto Arakashi-hiko Shrine (Kumakabuto Shrine), festival resting place at Kamohara
- Area
- Ishikawa Prefecture・Nanao City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Okuma-kabuto Festival, passed down in Nakajima-machi, Nanao City, is an annual festival featuring , deep crimson towering banners, Sarutahiko’s dance, bells and drums.
About Okuma-kabuto Festival
The Okuma-kabuto Festival is the annual festival of Kumakabuto Arakashi-hiko Shrine, located in Nakajima-machi, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
As it is held every year on September 20, it is also known as the “20th Day Festival.”
Mikoshi gather from 19 subsidiary shrines, and the festival is brought to life by deep crimson towering banners, Sarutahiko, bells and drums.
This festival has been passed down through generations in the region and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
Source: 【公式】お熊甲祭（おくまかぶとまつり）｜国指定重要無形民俗文化財 · The frame-flag event of the Kumakō Hatsuka Festival
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the sight of deep crimson towering banners, about 20 meters high, moving along with the mikoshi.
At the shrine, Sarutahiko, wearing a tengu mask, dances energetically across the grounds to the accompaniment of bells and drums.
In the afternoon, at the festival’s resting place at Kamohara, the groups parade around and perform the “Shimada Kuzushi,” tilting the banners until they are just above the ground.
A festival in which towering banners, mikoshi, music and dance come together.
A traditional festival in Nakajima-machi, Nanao, featuring soaring deep crimson banners
What to expect
The festival begins early in the morning, as processions from each subordinate shrine head to the main shrine led by Sarutahiko.
After all the mikoshi have arrived, a hōhei ceremony is held, and Sarutahiko dances to the sound of gongs and taiko drums.
In the afternoon, the main shrine mikoshi leads the procession to Kamobara, where the parade, hayamawari, and “Shimada-kuzushi” take place.
A purification rite is held at the end to bring the festival to a close.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kumakabuto Arakashihiko (Kumakō Jinja) and Kamobara, the .
It is located in Miyamae, Nakajima-machi, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
- Train and bus
A shuttle bus runs from Noto-Nakajima Station via Nakajima Festival Hall from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the day of the festival.
A shuttle bus also runs from Nakajima District Community Center toward Nakajima Festival Hall.
- By car
Temporary parking is available at locations including the Nakajima Festival Hall parking lot, Nakajima Elementary School, and the Kumaki Branch of Nakajima District Community Center.
- Parking
It is about a 4-minute walk from the Nakajima Festival Hall parking lot to Kumakabuto Arakashihiko Jinja, about a 15-minute walk from Nakajima Elementary School to Kamobara, and about a 4-minute walk from the Kumaki Branch of Nakajima District Community Center to Kamobara.
Source: アクセス - 【公式】お熊甲祭（おくまかぶとまつり）｜国指定重要無形民俗文化財 · The frame-flag event of the Kumakō Hatsuka Festival / お熊甲祭 - Wikipedia
Address Miyamae, Nakajima-machi, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Festival Information (the listed dates have passed)
The 2026 Okuma-kabuto Festival was scheduled to take place on September 20 (Sun).
This annual festival is held on September 20, and in 2026 it is scheduled for the same day.
Processions from the subsidiary shrines gather at the main shrine from early morning, then proceed to the festival’s temporary resting place at Kamohara in the afternoon.
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 Ishikawa Prefecture / Nanao City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
The Nakajima Festival Museum and Festival Heritage Museum are introduced as nearby attractions associated with the festival.
On display inside are a tengu mask representing Sarutahiko and banners that appear in the festival.
Visit it along with Kumakabuto Arakashi-hiko Shrine to learn about the festival’s background and its implements.
Source: 七尾市のキリコ祭り - 日本遺産「灯り舞う半島 能登 〜熱狂のキリコ祭り〜」能登のキリコ祭り
のとじま臨海公園水族館
石川県七尾市にある水族館
大地主神社
石川県七尾市にある神社
石川県七尾美術館
石川県七尾市にある美術館
石川県能登島ガラス美術館
石川県七尾市にある美術館
Origins and History of Okuma-kabuto Festival
The Okuma-kabuto Festival is known as the grand festival of Kumakabuto Arakashi-hiko Shrine.
According to the official information, the local banner festival is a “gathering festival” centered on a historic sōsha shrine with roots dating back to the Middle Ages, and the tradition has continued since the Edo period.
The banner procession was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan in 1981.
Official information
The official website provides information about the Okuma-kabuto Festival scheduled for September 20, 2026 (Sun), an overview of the festival, access to the venue, shuttle buses and temporary parking.
Okuma-kabuto Festival at a Glance
The Okuma-kabuto Festival is an annual festival held in Nakajima-machi, Nanao City, on September 20.
Mikoshi from 19 subsidiary shrines and deep crimson towering banners, about 20 meters high, gather at the main shrine, where Sarutahiko dances and bells and drums are played.
At Kamohara, the “Shimada Kuzushi” is performed, making it one of the festival’s main highlights.
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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