Raikoji Hakusan Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

This autumn festival in Raikoji, Nagaoka City, carries on shagyari music played on flutes and drums, traveling through the neighborhood, and performances and hand dances by the children's association.

About Raikoji Hakusan Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

The Raikoji Hakusan Shrine Autumn Grand Festival is an annual autumn festival centered on Hakusan Shrine in the Raikoji district of Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.

The festival is held to pray for abundant harvests and the well-being of the community, with local neighborhood associations, youth groups, and children's associations involved in organizing it.

Traditional performing arts are presented and dashi travel through the neighborhood around the , with local residents and worshippers supporting the festival.

As part of the festival culture passed down in the Koshiji area, it is an event where you can feel the bonds within the community.

Source: 来迎寺白山神社秋季大祭 - Wikipedia

Festival highlights

Highlights include shagyari music played on flutes and drums, dashi dedicated by each district, and dedication fireworks that light up the festival.

Performances and hand dances by the children's association are presented on the dashi, which travel through the neighborhood.

At festivals in the Koshiji area, musical processions and performances known as shagyari have been passed down through generations. In Raikoji, several dashi are dedicated to the shrine.

Another distinctive feature is the combination of music, dancing, dashi, and fireworks around the shrine grounds and neighborhood at night.

Source: 越路祭礼暦～まつりかれんだー～ | 越路ナビ（こしじなび）新潟県長岡市

A local festival in Raikoji enlivened by shagyari and dashi

What to expect

At the festival, the children's associations and youth groups perform shagyari, which they have practiced, on the shrine grounds and around the neighborhood.

Dashi from each district travel through the neighborhood and are dedicated to the shrine. Performances and hand dances by the children's association also take place along the way.

At the end of the festival, people are invited to form a circle and dance to Koshiji Bon Uta and Koshiji Kouta, offering a chance to join in the local dancing rather than just watch.

Dedication fireworks are launched in the evening, bringing the festival to a close.

Source: 【来迎寺中央町内会】 “ 一緒に踊りませんか ” お仲間募集のご案内｜来迎寺中央町内会

How to take part

The people who operate the festival floats and play the shagiri music are mainly local neighborhood associations, youth groups, branch associations, the Hakushinkai, and children’s groups.

Meanwhile, local residents are invited to join in the festival dances.

Participants practice the Koshiji Bon Uta and Koshiji Kouta, then form a circle and dance at the end of the float procession.

Check the event information for the year in question for participation requirements and how to sign up on the day.

Those who wish to join the dance are advised to attend a practice session beforehand.

In the 2025 recruitment notice, people could also attend a practice session without registering in advance, and those interested were asked to contact the organizers.

Details on how to take part in the float procession and shagiri music on the festival day, as well as the 2026 recruitment information, will be announced separately.

General visitors can watch the festival at the shrine grounds and in the surrounding neighborhood.

Location and access

Venue and address

Hakusan Shrine and the surrounding neighborhood.

Hakusan Shrine is located at 2893 Raikoji, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture.

Train and bus

It is about a 10-minute walk from JR Raikoji Station.

Parking

There is parking space in front of the shrine’s gate.

Source: 白山神社（新潟県来迎寺駅）のアクセス・お参りの情報｜ホトカミ

Event venue 新潟県長岡市白山神社および周辺町内

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

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Dates and season

Frequency: Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

写真：photo: Qurren ( talk ) Taken with Canon IXY 430F (Digital IXUS 245 HS) / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Origins and History of Raikoji Hakusan Shrine Autumn Grand Festival

The Raikoji Hakusan Shrine Autumn Grand Festival has been held continuously since the Showa era.

Records and photographs kept by the Raikoji Chuo Neighborhood Association are preserved as materials documenting past festivals.

Shagyari practice, dashi dedications, and performances by the children's association have been passed down through local organizations.

As part of the festival culture preserved in the Koshiji area, neighborhood associations, youth groups, and children's associations each play a role in carrying on the tradition.

Official information

Announcements about the festival and its local organization can be found in posts from the Raikoji Chuo Neighborhood Association.

It features local festival information, including dashi schedules and invitations to join the dancing.

For the 2026 festival date, the day's dashi schedule, and how to take part, check the latest announcements from the Raikoji Chuo Neighborhood Association.

Source: 【来迎寺中央町内会】白山神社秋季大祭｜来迎寺中央町内会