A summer festival in Ogo, with the Rampaging Lion parading through town and the mikoshi offering protection
Ogo Gion Festival
The 2026 edition of Ogo Gion Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/25 〜 2026/07/26Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every July, on the final Saturday and Sunday / Every year
- Location
- JA Maebashi Ogo Branch Office plaza, Shimomachi Street, and the area around the Shinonome Shinkin Bank parking lot
- Area
- Gunma Prefecture・Maebashi City(From Tokyo: approx. 50 min–1 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
Held as a festival at Ogo Shrine praying for an end to epidemics, the event brings color to Ogo with a , , drumming, and the Rampaging Lion.
About Ogo Gion Festival
The Ogo Gion Festival is a festival at Ogo Shrine held mainly in the Ogo area of Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture.
As one of the Gion festivals praying for an end to epidemics, it features the mikoshi of Teno-sama and the Rampaging Lion parading through town.
Kagura, taiko drumming, dances, and other community-rooted events take place along Shimomachi Street and at several venues.
It is a summer tradition that brings together Ogo’s townscape and its festival.
Source: 大胡祇園まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
The biggest highlight is the Rampaging Lion on the final day.
The lion visits shops and homes one by one, performing a vigorous dance at each entrance to pray for protection from illness and misfortune.
Highlights include a procession led by a sacred horse and a tengu, accompanying the mikoshi of Teno-sama; Daidai Kagura; corporate mikoshi; and performances by the Joshu Ogo Fuujin Taiko drumming group.
Enjoy the festival and community events along the town streets, one after another.
Source: 大胡祇園まつり｜観光・体験 | 前橋の観光・旅行情報サイト 「前橋まるごとガイド」
A summer festival in Ogo, with the Rampaging Lion parading through town and the mikoshi offering protection
What to expect
During the festival, the mikoshi of Teno-sama parades through town, led by a sacred horse and a tengu.
Daidai Kagura, corporate mikoshi, Fuujin Taiko drumming, and other events take place at the venues and along the streets, with a varied program depending on the day.
On the final day, the Rampaging Lion parades through Ogo, performing at the entrances of shops and homes to pray for protection from misfortune.
Depending on where you watch, you can enjoy performances at the venues as well as the procession through town.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Events are held mainly at the JA Maebashi Ogo Branch Office plaza, as well as Shimomachi Street and the Shinonome Shinkin Bank parking lot.
The location is Ogocho, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture.
- Train and bus
Get off at Ogo Station on the Jomo Electric Railway. The festival venue is about a 3-minute walk away.
- By car
It is about 20 minutes from Komagata IC on the Kita-Kanto Expressway.
- Parking
No parking is available.
Source: 大胡祇園まつり【令和8年7月25日・26日に開催】／前橋市
Address Ogocho, Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held on July 25 (Saturday) and the 26th (Sunday).
The listed hours were 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the 25th and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 26th, with the Rampaging Lion scheduled for 3 p.m. on the 26th.
The related Teno-sama and Rampaging Lion event is scheduled for the 26th and is listed as going ahead in rainy weather.
Source: 大胡祇園まつり(群馬県)の詳細データ｜ウォーカープラス
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 Gunma Prefecture / Maebashi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The venues extend beyond the Ogo Branch Office plaza to Shimomachi Street and nearby parking lots.
The Rampaging Lion parades through town, so what you see varies depending on where you watch.
No parking is available, so visitors are advised to walk from Ogo Station on the Jomo Electric Railway.
Arrangements in case of rain may differ by event, so check announcements on the day.
Nearby attractions
るなぱあく
群馬県前橋市にある遊園地
アーツ前橋
群馬県前橋市にある美術館
写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 430F (Digital IXUS 245 HS) / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
敷島公園
群馬県前橋市の公園
Origins and History of Ogo Gion Festival
The festival is said to have originated in the late Edo period, when an epidemic spread in Ogo and Teno-sama and the Rampaging Lion paraded through town to quell it.
It was once held on fixed dates, July 27 and the 28th, but changes in people’s lifestyles mean it is now held on the final Saturday and Sunday of July.
It is said that the festival was suspended for a time due to traffic issues caused by the closure of Shimomachi Street, and resumed after a bypass opened.
Official information
Maebashi City provides information about the 2026 event dates and access to the venues.
You can check the event details and schedule in the “Ogo Gion Festival Flyer” linked from the Maebashi City website.
The listed contact information also includes the phone number for the Regional Development Division at Maebashi City’s Ogo Branch Office.
Ogo Gion Festival at a Glance
The Ogo Gion Festival is a traditional event in the Ogo area that carries on a festival tradition praying for an end to epidemics, with a mikoshi, kagura, taiko drumming, and the Rampaging Lion moving through town.
The Rampaging Lion is a symbolic feature of the festival, performing at the entrances of shops and homes to pray for protection from misfortune.
In 2026, it was held on July 25 and the 26th, around the JA Maebashi Ogo Branch Office plaza and Shimomachi Street.
As there is no parking, visitors are advised to walk from Ogo Station.
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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