Obo’s autumn festival: calling the morigami and performing dengaku-inspired movements
Obo Miyaza Festival
The 2026 edition of Obo Miyaza Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/11 〜 2026/10/12Ended
- Season / frequency
- It is held on the October February (Sports Day) and the preceding long weekend.
- Location
- Yasaka Shrine
- Area
- Nara Prefecture・Nara City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train + connecting 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
An autumn festival at Yasaka Shrine in Obo, Nara City, preserving jumps modeled on performances and the ritual of calling the morigami.
About Obo Miyaza Festival
The Obo Miyaza Festival is an autumn festival held at Yasaka Shrine in Obo, Nara City.
It preserves “triangle jumping” and “side jumping,” which imitate dengaku performances, as well as “calling the morigami,” a ritual not seen in other regions.
This parishioners’ festival prays for a good harvest and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nara Prefecture.
It takes place over 2 days—the Eve Festival and the Ujigami Festival—with local people taking on roles to keep the tradition alive.
Festival highlights
Highlights include “triangle jumping,” in which participants jump to form a triangle around the instruments, and “side jumping,” in which they spread their arms and leap directly sideways.
During the Eve Festival, the sounds of drums, small drums, a conch shell, shinobue flute, and sasara resonate as the roshu and others circle the hill where the shrine stands.
At the Ujigami Festival the following day, the roshu call out the names of the 21 morigami in the mountains of Obo, and everyone responds in unison.
The festival is distinctive for combining movements modeled on dengaku performances with a unique ritual.
Obo’s autumn festival: calling the morigami and performing dengaku-inspired movements
What to expect
On the morning of the Eve Festival, led by the roshu, the atariya head, his sons, and the procession participants carry sacred wands and circle the hill where the shrine stands.
After returning to the while playing instruments, they offer triangle jumping around the instruments.
At the Ujigami Festival the following day, the okina-shu also join in, making 3 circuits of the from the worship hall.
After the ritual of calling the morigami, the 2 sasara performers offer side jumping, bringing the festival to a close.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yasaka Shrine (142 Obo, Nara City).
Source: 八坂神社 / 奈良県
Address 142 Obo, Nara City
Dates and season
2026年の開催案内（掲載日程は終了しています）
2026年は10月11日（日曜日）と12日（祝）に行われる予定として案内されていました。
The festival consists of 2 days: the Eve Festival on the first day and the Ujigami Festival the following day.
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 Nara Prefecture / Nara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
This is a parishioners’ festival in which participants take on roles and make offerings; no information is provided on how the general public can participate or on detailed viewing guidance.
At the shrine grounds and around the shrine, follow local guidance and the instructions of those involved so as not to disrupt the offerings or group responses.
As the festival includes dynamic sacred rites such as triangle and side jumping, it is important not to get too close to the place where the offerings are performed.
Nearby attractions
中野美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
依水園
奈良県奈良市にある日本庭園
写真：Kimon Berlin ( Gribeco ) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
入江泰𠮷記念奈良市写真美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
吉城園
奈良県奈良市の日本庭園
大和文華館
日本の私立美術館
奈良公園
奈良市の公園
奈良国立博物館
奈良市にある国立博物館
奈良市史料保存館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
奈良県立美術館
奈良県奈良市にある美術館
寧楽美術館
奈良県奈良市にある博物館
平城京左京三条二坊宮跡庭園
奈良県奈良市三条大路にある庭園遺構
手向山八幡宮
奈良県奈良市にある神社
Origins and History of Obo Miyaza Festival
Yasaka Shrine is said to have been founded in 1200, in the Kamakura period.
The Obo Miyaza Festival preserves triangle and side jumping modeled on dengaku performances, which are common to autumn festivals in Higashiyamanaka.
The ritual of calling the 21 morigami in the mountains of Obo is considered unique and not found in other regions.
The festival was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nara Prefecture in 2019, and parishioners continue to work to pass it on.
Source: 大保の宮座行事 文化遺産オンライン
Official information
Nara Prefecture’s public information newsletter lists the 2026 festival dates and the location of Yasaka Shrine.
An overview of the cultural property and the sequence of events can also be found in Nara Prefecture’s History and Cultural Resources Database and on Cultural Heritage Online.
Obo Miyaza Festival at a Glance
The Obo Miyaza Festival is an autumn festival at Yasaka Shrine in Obo, Nara City, praying for a good harvest.
The procession accompanied by instrumental music, triangle and side jumping modeled on dengaku performances, and the ritual of calling the 21 morigami together form a series of ceremonies.
In 2026, it will be held on October 11 and the 12th, and is maintained by local parishioners as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Nara Prefecture.
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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