Giant kites soaring over the Sagami River, and a festival that carries on local hopes
Sagami Giant Kite Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Early May every year / Every year
- Area
- Kanagawa Prefecture・Sagamihara City(From Tokyo: approx. 30 min–1 h · 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
- Official website / social media
- Official website
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
The Sagami Giant Kite Festival carries on the giant-kite tradition dating back to the Edo period in 4 districts along the Sagami River. Enjoy the power of the giant kites and the local hopes expressed in their inscriptions.
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: KQuhen File:Sagamihara Giant Kite Festival giant kite 03.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: KQuhen File:Sagamihara Giant Kite Festival giant kite 02.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: KQuhen File:Sagamihara Giant Kite Festival giant kite 01.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.About Sagami Giant Kite Festival
The Sagami Giant Kite Festival is a local event where giant kites are flown in 4 districts along the Sagami River: Shindo, Kamisoiso, Shimoisoiso, and Kassaka.
Carrying on a giant-kite tradition dating back to the Edo period, it is now enjoyed as one of the region’s signature spring tourist events.
The giant kites display two-character inscriptions reflecting the social climate of the time.
The festival passes local skills and culture on to the next generation through kite flying.
Source: 相模の大凧センター - 神奈川県ホームページ / 由来と歴史 – 相模の大凧
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the sight of giant kites soaring into the sky along the Sagami River.
The kites flown at the festival are described as 8-ken kites measuring 14.5 meters on each side and weighing 950 kilograms, with an area equivalent to 128 tatami mats.
The two characters written on the kites vary each time; some express the red of the sun or the green of the earth.
It is also enjoyable to read the hopes of the time expressed in the inscriptions.
Giant kites soaring over the Sagami River, and a festival that carries on local hopes
What to expect
Giant kites are flown at 4 venues along the Sagami River during the festival.
The venues are arranged from upstream to downstream in the order of Kamisoiso, Shimoisoiso, Kassaka, and Shindo, where the giant-kite skills passed down in each district are showcased.
Visitors can watch the kites being raised and take a closer look at their inscriptions and size.
Some areas are restricted during kite flying to ensure safety.
Source: 大凧まつりのご案内 – 相模の大凧
Location and access
- Venue and address
Sagamihara City / venues along the Sagami River
Event venue 神奈川県相模原市 相模川沿いの各会場
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Early May every year
- Frequency
Every year
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 Kanagawa Prefecture / Sagamihara City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
The Sagami Giant Kite Center introduces materials on the culture of flying Sagami’s giant kites, as well as creative activities such as kite-making.
About 200 kites collected from across Japan and around the world are on display inside.
The center can also help visitors learn about the size of the giant kites flown at the Sagami Giant Kite Festival and the meaning behind their inscriptions.
It is located at 2268-1 Shindo, Minami Ward, Sagamihara City.
亀ヶ池八幡宮
神奈川県相模原市中央区にある神社
氷川神社
神奈川県相模原市中央区にある神社
神明大神宮
神奈川県相模原市緑区にある神社
Origins and History of Sagami Giant Kite Festival
The Sagami giant kite tradition is said to date back to around the Tenpo era of the Edo period. At first, kites were flown to celebrate the birth of a child.
The event later grew into a local tradition in which inscriptions express prayers for a good harvest, the hopes and aspirations of young people, and national sentiments.
In Showa 44, it was selected as one of Sagamihara City’s 4 major tourist events, and in Heisei 3, the 4 districts began flying their kites simultaneously.
In Heisei 6, the Sagami Giant Kite Culture Preservation Association was established, and the 1st Sagami Giant Kite Festival was held.
Official information
The official guide provides information about the Sagami Giant Kite Festival, including its schedule, venues, access, kite inscriptions, and on-the-day precautions.
A page introducing the origins and history of giant kites explains how this event, which dates back to the Edo period, has changed over time and traces the history of the preservation association.
For the latest information on dates and venues, check the official Sagami Giant Kite Festival guide.
Sagami Giant Kite Festival at a Glance
The Sagami Giant Kite Festival is a signature local event in Sagamihara City, where giant kites are flown in 4 districts along the Sagami River.
Against a cultural backdrop dating back to the Edo period, people have entrusted their hopes for a good harvest and the spirit of the times to two-character kite inscriptions.
Look out for the giant kites, which measure 14.5 meters on each side and weigh 950 kilograms, and the skills passed down locally.
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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