Okkawa Festival

Festival highlights

The main highlights are the “uphill haul,” in which 4 dashi are pulled up the steep slope at Okkawa Hachiman Shrine, and the “downhill haul,” in which the dashi are brought down from the shrine grounds.

The large dashi move along a steep slope, and during the uphill haul, young men compete to take hold of the steering pole of the lead dashi.

Okkawa’s dashi are said to be among the largest of the Handa style, and are so heavy that turning them with the steering poles makes the ground shake.

Highlights include the dashi’s densely packed metalwork and mechanical puppets.

Source: 山車の上から背負い投げ！男たちが傷だらけになってまで守り抜くものとは？愛知県半田市に春を告げる「乙川祭礼」 | CBC MAGAZINE（CBCマガジン）

The Okkawa festival, where 4 dashi guarding the mikoshi tackle steep slopes

What to expect

During the festival, parishioners pull out 4 dashi to the sound of their festival music, guarding the mikoshi as it travels.

The dashi head toward Okkawa Hachiman Shrine, where they are hauled up and down the slope within the shrine grounds.

A crew member on each dashi directs the steering, while the pullers proceed with care around the road width and overhead power lines.

The festival also includes events such as the distribution and offering of gohei. At the end, dashi participants carrying lanterns deliver the gohei while playing festival music.

Source: 文化遺産データベース

How to take part

The dashi groups at the heart of the festival are made up of relatives of each group and ujiko.

Meanwhile, tourists and women are also said to be able to participate by pulling the lead rope.

Roles involving dashi operations and the steering poles are carried out within the organizations responsible for the festival, so not everyone can take on the same roles.

If you visit as a spectator, it is important not to obstruct the dashi’s progress or compromise safety during the uphill and downhill runs.

General visitors can take part in the festival by pulling the lead rope.

Roles responsible for operating the dashi are carried out by ujiko and people involved with the dashi groups, so please follow the instructions at the festival site for any way of participating other than pulling the lead rope.

The event information does not specify how to apply or whether advance registration is required.

Source: 乙川祭禮 - Wikipedia

Location and access

Venue and address

The festival takes place in the Okkawa district, centered around Okkawa Hachiman Shrine.

The dashi are hauled up and down the slope at Okkawa Hachiman Shrine.

Event venue 愛知県半田市 乙川八幡社

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)

The event was listed for March 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun) in 2026.

The festival is usually held around the spring equinox and takes place over 2 days, Saturday and Sunday.

At Okkawa Hachiman Shrine, the schedule listed the uphill haul for Saturday morning and the downhill haul for the afternoon, with both uphill and downhill hauls also planned for Sunday.

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Tips for your visit

The dashi being hauled up and down the slope at Okkawa Hachiman Shrine make for a thrilling sight as they pass over the steep incline.

Going down the slope is especially dangerous, so pay attention to the dashi’s direction of travel and staff instructions, and do not block its route or walkways within the shrine grounds.

The dashi are large and heavy, so keep your distance and watch from a safe place.

Nearby attractions

Museums and art museumsHanda City

半田市立博物館

愛知県半田市の博物館・美術館のスポットです。

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Okkawa Festival

The Okkawa Festival continues a festival tradition also depicted in the “Okkawa Village Festival Scroll,” painted in Horeki 5 (1755).

It was once held on the 15th and 16th days of the first lunar month, with the mikoshi traveling between Okkawa Hachiman Shrine and Wakamiya Shrine, guarded by 4 dashi.

Although it has moved to around the spring equinox, the dashi’s fundamental role of protecting the mikoshi as it travels and returns remains unchanged.

Until Showa 45, the route down the slope was also more challenging than it is today.

Official information

Dates, the times for hauling the dashi up and down the slope, and the festival’s roles and highlights are listed on the official website of the Handa Dashi Festival Preservation Association.

Information about the Okkawa district festival, the dashi groups, Okkawa Hachiman Shrine, and Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine is also provided.

Okkawa Festival at a Glance

The Okkawa Festival is a traditional festival in the Okkawa district of Handa, where 4 dashi guard the mikoshi as it travels and returns.

Highlights include hauling the dashi up and down steep slopes, fierce contests over the steering poles, and the large dashi’s metalwork and mechanical puppets.

The event was listed for March 21 and 22 in 2026, and general visitors are said to be able to take part by pulling the lead rope.