Memorial boats collide in a traditional event that brightens Yokote’s summer
Okuribon Festival
The 2026 edition of Okuribon Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/15 〜 2026/08/16Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every August / Every year
- Location
- In front of the main Yokote City Hall building (August 15), around Hebinosaki Kawara and Hebinosaki Bridge (August 16)
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Yokote City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 min · 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
A summer tradition passed down in Yokote, Akita Prefecture, known for its Bon memorial rites and yakatabune boat collisions.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Rarisan File:Butsuke-ai at Okuribon-Festival B.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Rarisan File:Butsuke-ai at Okuribon-Festival A.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Rarisan File:Butsuke-ai at Okuribon-Festival C.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Okuribon Festival
The Okuribon Festival is a Bon event held every August in central Yokote, Akita Prefecture.
Visitors can enjoy a series of events, including Nemuri Nagashi, the citizens’ , the yakatabune procession, and fireworks.
The distinctive event of taking yakatabune boats to the riverbank for memorial rites and colliding them with one another is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Akita Prefecture.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is when the yakatabune, after the memorial service, return to Janosaki Bridge, raise their bows high, and collide with one another.
Each neighborhood builds its own boat, which can weigh about 700 kilograms and measure up to about 7.5 meters in length.
Fireworks are also launched from Yokote Park, adding to the festival’s finale alongside the yakatabune.
Source: 横手の送り盆まつり – 一般社団法人 横手市観光協会
Memorial boats collide in a traditional event that brightens Yokote’s summer
What to expect
The event begins with Nemuri Nagashi on August 6, when children take small boats out to the Janosaki riverbank.
On August 15, Bon Odori is held in front of Yokote City Hall. The next day, the 16th, yakatabune boats parade through their neighborhoods toward the riverbank, where boat collisions and fireworks follow sutra chanting and memorial rites.
Source: 送り盆まつり - Wikipedia
How to take part
The yakatabune procession is led by participants from each neighborhood, and no participation requirements for members of the public to carry a boat have been announced.
Meanwhile, children from each neighborhood take small boats out for Nemuri Nagashi, and circles of dancers form for the citizens’ Bon Odori.
The event is presented mainly as something to watch, with visitors enjoying the events at each venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
On August 15, the event is held in front of the main Yokote City Hall building; on August 16, it is held around Hebinosaki Kawara and Hebinosaki Bridge.
The location is Hebinosaki-cho, Yokote City, Akita Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It is a 15-minute walk from JR Yokote Station.
- By car
It is a 10-minute drive from the Yokote IC on the Akita Expressway and Tohoku Chuo Expressway.
Source: 横手の送り盆まつり / 秋田県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
Address Janosakimachi, Yokote, Akita 013-0017, Japan
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (The listed dates have passed)
The 2026 schedule was listed as running from August 15 (Saturday) to August 16 (Sunday).
The program features a citizens’ Bon Odori and houseboat viewing event on the 15th, followed by houseboats setting out and a sponsored fireworks display on the 16th.
In a typical year, it is held as part of a series of events that includes the Nemuri Nagashi on August 6.
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 Akita Prefecture / Yokote City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The yakatabune procession, Bon Odori, and fireworks take place at different venues, so allow time to travel between them according to the events you want to see.
The yakatabune collisions take place around Janosaki Bridge, and the fireworks time may change depending on the weather.
During expected busy periods, follow local guidance and observe from a safe place.
Nearby attractions
Nearby festival spots include Yokote Park Observatory and Yokote Park.
Yokote Park is listed as a fireworks launch site and can be visited as a nearby spot connected with the festival.
Nearby listings also include Fureai Center Kamakurakan and the Yojiro Ishizaka Literary Memorial Hall, both facilities in Yokote City.
大森公園
秋田県横手市の公園
写真：8-Forest / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
大鳥井山遺跡
日本の秋田県横手市にある平安時代の遺跡、国の史跡。
写真：MChew / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
平安の風わたる公園
日本の秋田県横手市にある公園
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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後三年合戦金沢資料館
日本の秋田県横手市にある歴史博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
横手公園
秋田県横手市の公園
写真：Yuya Narita / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
横手市増田まんが美術館
日本の秋田県横手市にある美術館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
石坂洋次郎文学記念館
日本の秋田県横手市にある人物記念館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
秋田ふるさと村
秋田県の魅力を紹介する秋田県横手市のテーマパーク
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
秋田県立近代美術館
秋田県横手市の秋田ふるさと村にある美術館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
金沢公園
日本の秋田県横手市にある公園
写真：Ocavis Leechroot / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Okuribon Festival
The Okuribon Festival is said to have begun when the Yanagimachi neighborhood built a yakatabune boat and took it out to the Janosaki riverbank to pray for the souls of those who died in a great famine after the mid-Edo period.
Records from the late Edo period also describe the event, which continued from the Meiji period onward.
It was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the spread of infectious disease, then held again in 2022 for the first time in 3 years.
Official information
The Yokote City Tourism Association, a general incorporated association, is listed as the organizer. Its official page provides an overview of the yakatabune procession, the citizens’ Bon Odori, sponsored fireworks, and Nemuri Nagashi.
Information and a schedule for 2026 are also available.
For official information, see the “Yokote Okuribon Festival” page of the Yokote City Tourism Association.
Okuribon Festival at a Glance
The Yokote Okuribon Festival is a traditional event that begins with Bon memorial rites and continues with children’s Nemuri Nagashi, Bon Odori, and the yakatabune procession.
The collision of the heavy yakatabune and the fireworks are major highlights. The event is also designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Akita Prefecture.
The 2026 event schedule was announced for August 15 and 16.
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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