Performing arts of Sakabe Winter Festival

Festival highlights

The main highlight is the “Taikiri mask,” which appears at dawn.

The red demon swings a large axe, and sparks fly each time it cuts through the torch offered by a shrine attendant, heightening the tension of the festival.

After that come masked dances featuring the lion, the Water King, the Fire King, and the old man, as well as kyogen-style performances such as “Kaido Kudari” and “Fishing.”

Another distinctive feature is the performance’s interplay of solemnity and humor, as flames, steam, drums, and masked dances come together.

Sakabe Winter Festival, with flames, hot water, and masked dances continuing until dawn

What to expect

The festival proceeds from preliminary rituals such as zatagame and shimehiki, followed by Obani sake, to mōshiage, yubarei, and the boiling-water rite.

The shrine priest circles the cauldron while singing kagura songs, stirring and splashing the water with a bundle of stalks.

This is followed by repeated performances of the boys’ Flower Dance and the young men’s main dance, before the masked dances begin near dawn.

An all-night festival running from the evening of January 4 through noon the following day.

Source: 祭・イベント詳細： 坂部の冬まつり｜（一財）都市農山漁村交流活性化機構（まちむら交流きこう）

How to take part

Visitors can enjoy the festival by watching the rites and performances held at the shrine.

When watching the Mask Dance or yudate up close, it is important to worship and watch quietly from a spot that does not obstruct the progress of the shrine rites.

Location and access

Venue and address

Omoriyama Suwa Shrine (Sakabe, Kambara, Tenryu Village, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture)

Train and bus

It is about 20 minutes by taxi from Hiraoka Station on the JR Iida Line.

Parking

There is parking for 20 cars.

Source: 坂部の冬祭り / 長野県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】

Address Sakabe, Kambara, Tenryu Village, Shimoina District, Nagano Prefecture

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

Season

Every year on January 4 and 5

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

The festival is an all-night event that runs from evening until noon the following day, so you will be spending a long time in the winter mountains.

If you plan to watch from late at night until dawn in particular, make sure you are well prepared for the cold.

Since the rituals involve sparks from torches and hot water from the boiling-water rite, avoid getting too close to the dance hall or procession area.

When taking photos or moving around, take care not to obstruct worshippers or participants.

Nearby attractions

Tenryu Village, where Sakabe Winter Festival is held, has nearby attractions such as Kawawakadono Falls, the Hayakido River Gorge, and Tenryu Onsen Okiyome no Yu.

The same village also hosts the Mukai-kata Okiyome Festival and the annual festival at Okawachiike Shrine.

However, no information is provided about the distance from the festival venue, walking time, or opening status on the day.

Origins and History of Performing arts of Sakabe Winter Festival

Sakabe Winter Festival is said to have a history of about 600 years.

Another guide says that, according to the Kumagai-ke Denki, the festival began in the first year of the Shōchō era, and introduces it as a festival featuring masked dances.

Cultural property descriptions note that it includes performing arts reminiscent of sarugaku and dengaku, and has characteristics in common with the Hana Festival in nearby Mikawa.

In 1971, it was selected as an intangible folk cultural property for which measures such as documentation should be undertaken.

Official information

The official information page is listed as the Sakabe Winter Festival official website of Tenryu Village.

You can check the latest information about the festival dates, venue, and viewing arrangements alongside the guide for the year it is held.

Performing arts of Sakabe Winter Festival at a Glance

Sakabe Winter Festival is a boiling-water kagura passed down at Omoriyama Suwa Shrine in Sakabe, Tenryu Village.

Beginning with dances around the cauldron and the boiling-water rite, a dramatic scene featuring a demon and torches unfolds at dawn during the Taikiri mask performance.

Masked dances by the lion and the old man, along with kyogen-style performances, follow, offering a wide variety of performing arts throughout the long night.

A fire-and-water festival passed down in the winter mountains.