A Tenno Festival that brings Kamimizo’s summer to life with mikoshi and dashi
Otenno-sama (Kamimizo Summer Festival)
The 2026 edition of Otenno-sama (Kamimizo Summer Festival) has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 第1期：2026/07/25Ended第2期：2026/07/26Ended
- Season / frequency
- Saturday and Sunday in the second half of July / Every year
- Location
- The entire traffic-restricted area centered around Kamimizo Shopping Street
- Area
- Kanagawa Prefecture・Sagamihara City(From Tokyo: approx. 30 min–1 h · 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Otenno-sama is a summer festival passed down through the community, with and processing through the neighborhoods of Kamimizo. The enshrined deity is welcomed into the mikoshi, and prayers are offered for protection from epidemics, community safety, and a bountiful harvest.
About Otenno-sama (Kamimizo Summer Festival)
Otenno-sama is a summer festival that carries on the tradition of the Tenno Festival passed down in Kamimizo.
Its enshrined deity is Gozu Tenno, invited from Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, and mikoshi and dashi from each neighborhood process through the Kamimizo area.
This community-rooted festival offers prayers for protection from epidemics, safety, a bountiful harvest, and the well-being of households in the neighborhood.
Source: 【公式】上溝夏祭り - kamimizo summer festival - 神奈川県相模原市の夏祭り / 亀ヶ池八幡宮公式サイト 相模原市の神社 上溝鎮座
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the rousing Mikoshi-momi, held on the Honmiya.
Adult and children’s mikoshi, along with dashi, gather from each neighborhood, and mikoshi and dashi processions take place.
At night, lanterns on the mikoshi are lit, and the dashi also perform the folk art Yamate-bayashi on both the Yoimiya and the Honmiya.
A Tenno Festival that brings Kamimizo’s summer to life with mikoshi and dashi
What to expect
During the festival, the spirit of the enshrined deity is welcomed into each neighborhood’s mikoshi, which then makes a procession through the area.
A dashi procession takes place on the Yoimiya, while on the Honmiya, a parade and ceremony are followed by a mikoshi procession and a dashi procession.
At the end of the festival, a rite is held to remove the deity’s spirit, and the mikoshi is returned to its storehouse.
How to take part
You can watch the mikoshi and dashi processions from along the route.
No information is provided about the requirements for taking part in festival rites, such as carrying a mikoshi, or whether general visitors can join the mikoshi procession.
When watching, keep your distance from the mikoshi and dashi, and enjoy the festival from a place that does not obstruct passage.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The entire traffic-restricted area centered around Kamimizo Shopping Street (Kamimizo, Chuo Ward, Sagamihara City)
- Train and bus
A short walk from Kamimizo Station on the JR Sagami Line.
From the south exit of Fuchinobe Station on the JR Yokohama Line, take the Kanachu Bus route Fuchi 53 bound for Tana Bus Terminal and get off at Kamimizo; the stop is a short walk away.
From the south exit of Sagamihara Station on the JR Yokohama Line, take the Kanachu Bus route So 12 or So 14 bound for Kamimizo and get off at Kamimizo; the stop is a short walk away.
- By car
As there is no parking for visitors, use of public transportation is recommended.
- Parking
There is no parking for visitors.
Event venue 神奈川県相模原市 上溝商店街を中心とする通行規制区域全域
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Period 1
2026/07/25
- Period 2
2026/07/26
2026 Festival Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the Yoimiya is on July 25 (Saturday), and the Honmiya is on July 26 (Sunday).
The Yoimiya runs from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the Honmiya from 2 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Events planned include a dashi procession, a parade, a ceremony, and a mikoshi procession alongside a dashi procession.
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 Kanagawa Prefecture / Sagamihara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
For safety, keep your distance from mikoshi and dashi, and do not stop where you could obstruct pedestrians.
Do not enter private property in the surrounding area, and please help reduce waste.
Please be considerate about preventing smoking on the street. Public transportation is a convenient way to get to the venue.
Nearby attractions
The Kamimizo Shopping Street is near the festival area, so you can enjoy shopping along with the festival.
The 2026 information also lists Kamimizo Community Center as the venue for a cultural exhibition.
These are nearby facilities related to the festival venues and events.
亀ヶ池八幡宮
神奈川県相模原市中央区にある神社
氷川神社
神奈川県相模原市中央区にある神社
神明大神宮
神奈川県相模原市緑区にある神社
Origins and History of Otenno-sama (Kamimizo Summer Festival)
The Tenno Festival in Kamimizo is said to have begun in the late Edo period. In the early Meiji period, mikoshi and dashi were built in each hamlet, and the festival grew in popularity.
The festival, which was held until before the war, was suspended after the war. In Showa 21, a new format was launched based on an idea from the youth group, and it came to be held as the Kamimizo Summer Festival.
Today, it continues as a festival featuring mikoshi and dashi processions.
Official information
The festival is organized by the Kamimizo Summer Festival Executive Committee.
Check the official Kamimizo Summer Festival information for event dates and times, access details, and visitor guidelines.
Otenno-sama (Kamimizo Summer Festival) at a Glance
Otenno-sama is a summer festival where mikoshi and dashi gather from the neighborhoods of Kamimizo, with prayers for community safety, a good harvest, and household well-being.
Highlights include the dashi procession on the Yoimiya, the mikoshi procession and Mikoshi-momi on the Honmiya, and the nighttime scene lit by lanterns.
Keep a safe distance while watching, and enjoy this local festival by using public transportation.
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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