Asakura’s unusual festival, where white shitogi made from new rice carries hopes for a bountiful harvest
Oshiroi Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/12/02Scheduled
- Season / frequency
- Every year December 2 / Every year
- Location
- Oyama Gion Shrine
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Asakura City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · flight time only)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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
At Oyama Gion Shrine in Oyama, Haki, Asakura City, the Oshiroi Festival involves applying white shitogi made from the first rice offering to the face and predicting the next year’s harvest. A distinctive rite that brings to life hopes for an abundant harvest and local traditions.
About Oshiroi Festival
The Oshiroi Festival is a local tradition held at Oyama Gion Shrine in Oyama, Haki, Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
It takes its name from the practice of applying shitogi—a paste made by grinding new rice and mixing it with water—to the face.
It is said to represent the mountain deity as a goddess who puts on makeup.
The festival has been passed down as an occasion to celebrate the prosperity of the , give thanks for the new grain, and pray for an abundant harvest of the five grains the following year.
Source: おしろい祭り - 観光情報 - 朝倉市（商工観光課）
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the application of white shitogi made from new rice to the faces of the shrine parishioners.
The next year’s harvest is said to be predicted by how well the oshiroi adheres to the face.
Following the chief priest’s purification and the recitation of prayers, the seated hosts bring out a large bowl of shitogi and begin applying it to the chief priest’s face.
This distinctive rite is said to be an unusual custom with no parallel elsewhere in Japan.
Asakura’s unusual festival, where white shitogi made from new rice carries hopes for a bountiful harvest
What to expect
The festival begins with the Miyaza rites at around 2 p.m., followed by the chief priest’s purification and the recitation of prayers.
Afterward, the shrine parishioners sit down to the Miyaza meal in the , and the seated hosts prepare shitogi.
The oshiroi application begins around 3 p.m., following the custom of starting with the chief priest’s face before applying it to others.
It is said that the white makeup should not be washed off until you return home.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Oyama Gion Shrine (Oyama, Haki, Asakura City)
Address Oyama, Haki, Asakura City
Dates and season
In 2026, it will be held on December 2 (Wednesday).
According to the schedule, the festival starts at 2 p.m. and the oshiroi application begins at 3 p.m.
It is held every year on December 2.
Source: おしろい祭り - Wikipedia
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Tips for your visit
If you have oshiroi applied, it is customary not to wash your face or remove the paste until you return home.
It is said that putting shitogi into a fire will cause a fire, so care should be taken when handling fire.
Please follow the on-site guidance regarding the progress of the rites and areas open to visitors.
Nearby attractions
Nearby visitor attractions include Haki Shrine, known as a deity of matchmaking, Chikugo River Onsen, and Harazuru Onsen.
If you plan to visit these places alongside the festival, it is a good idea to check their opening status and conditions of use in advance.
Origins and History of Oshiroi Festival
The origins of the Oshiroi Festival are linked to the belief that the mountain deity is a female deity who puts on white makeup.
The festival is said to commemorate how farmers of old gave thanks to the deity for the prosperity of the shrine parishioners and a bountiful harvest of the new grain, and prayed for an abundant harvest of the five grains the following year.
The custom of predicting the next year’s harvest from how well the oshiroi adheres is also tied to these hopes for farming.
Official information
The Asakura City official tourism website provides information about the Oshiroi Festival, including its details, 2026 date, times, venue, and address.
Oshiroi Festival at a Glance
The Oshiroi Festival is a distinctive rite held at Oyama Gion Shrine in Oyama, Haki, Asakura City, where shitogi is applied to the face.
The festival expresses gratitude for the new rice and hopes for an abundant harvest of the five grains, while the next year’s harvest is predicted by how well the paste adheres to the face.
In 2026, the festival will be held on December 2 (Wednesday), with the festival starting at 2 p.m. and the oshiroi application at 3 p.m.
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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