A spring festival where 3 dashi and mechanical puppets gather at Ono Bridge
Ono Festival
The 2026 edition of Ono Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/03 〜 2026/05/04Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on May 3 and the 4th / Every year
- Location
- Around Ezaki Shrine and Ono Bridge
- Area
- Aichi Prefecture・Tokoname City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Ono Festival has been passed down as a festival in Onocho, Tokoname City, since the late Edo period. The 3 —Karako-sha, Momiji-sha, and Baiei-sha—gather at Ono Bridge, bringing the festival to life with lanterns and offerings of mechanical puppets.
About Ono Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Bariston File:Ōno Matsuri5.JPG / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Ono Festival is a spring festival passed down in Onocho, in the northern part of Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture.
The 3 dashi—Karako-sha, Momiji-sha, and Baiei-sha—are at the heart of the festival and gather at Ono Bridge.
Over the 2 days of Yoikagura and Honraku, dashi decorated with lanterns appear and mechanical puppets are offered.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the gathering of the 3 Nagoya-style dashi at Ono Bridge.
During Yoikagura, lanterns are attached to the dashi; during Honraku, mechanical puppets are offered and the dashi turn around.
You can also enjoy the distinct mechanical puppets: Karako-sha’s puppet standing on another puppet’s shoulders and its drum-playing puppet, Momiji-sha’s upside-down puppet playing a gong, and Baiei-sha’s Ryo-o puppet.
The makiwara-bune Gonmaru will not appear in 2026.
Source: 常滑市山車図鑑｜常滑市
A spring festival where 3 dashi and mechanical puppets gather at Ono Bridge
What to expect
The festival consists of Yoikagura on May 3 and Honraku on May 4.
During Yoikagura, dashi decorated with lanterns appear. During Honraku, the 3 dashi gather, mechanical puppets are offered, and the dashi turn around.
The dashi are Karako-sha, Momiji-sha, and Baiei-sha, each featuring distinct puppets and musical styles that reflect its neighborhood.
Source: 大野祭り - Wikipedia
Location and access
- Venue and address
Esaki Shrine and other locations (within Onocho 4-chome, Tokoname City, and elsewhere)
- Train and bus
Meitetsu Tokoname Line, Ono-machi Station.
- Parking
The beach and temporary parking lot, and Ono Elementary School and its temporary parking lot, are available.
Source: 大野祭り(愛知県)の詳細データ｜ウォーカープラス
Address Around 4-chome, Onocho, Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, and other locations
Dates and season
2026 festival information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, it was held on May 3 (Sun) and the 4th (Mon).
In a typical year, Yoikagura takes place on May 3 and Honraku on May 4.
In 2026, the makiwara-bune Gonmaru, which usually appears, did not appear because of a malfunction in the river facilities.
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 Aichi Prefecture / Tokoname City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Ono Festival
The Ono Festival is said to have continued since the 1700s, in the late Edo period.
Karako-sha was built in Kanpo 1 (1741), Momiji-sha in Bunkyu 3 (1863), and Baiei-sha in Kaei 1 (1848).
The makiwara-bune Gonmaru was badly damaged by the Isewan Typhoon and temporarily suspended, but was revived in Showa 63 (1988) through the efforts of local residents.
Official information
Related information about the Ono Festival is available on Aichi Prefecture’s dashi festival portal site.
A link to the festival’s Facebook page is also included.
Updates may be provided for changes from year to year, such as the makiwara-bune Gonmaru not appearing in 2026.
Ono Festival at a Glance
The Ono Festival is a dashi festival held every year on May 3 and the 4th in Onocho, Tokoname City.
The 3 dashi gather at Ono Bridge and feature lantern decorations, offerings of mechanical puppets, and turns.
This event offers a chance to see both dashi with a long history and local festival traditions, but the makiwara-bune Gonmaru did not appear in 2026.
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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