A winter rite to ward off misfortune, with a lion praying as it travels through Ushijima
The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- From around the beginning of the coldest period (around the 5th) in January until around the day before Koshogatsu (the 14th)
- Location
- Ushijima, Akita City
- Area
- Akita Prefecture・Akita City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 40 min–4 h 10 min · bullet 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
This is a tradition passed down in Ushijima, Akita City. From around the beginning of the coldest period until around the day before Koshogatsu, the lion visits neighborhoods to pray for protection from misfortune and other blessings.
About The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja
The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano is a lion dance tradition passed down in Ushijima, Akita City.
From around the beginning of the coldest period in January until around the day before Koshogatsu, the lion travels through the neighborhoods, praying for protection from misfortune and fire, the removal of disaster and the welcoming of good fortune, and the safety of each household.
As a lion dance performed near a castle town, it has few parallels. The event conveys the changes in life in Ushijima and the feelings of the local people.
Festival highlights
A highlight is seeing the lion travel through the neighborhoods of Ushijima.
The event runs from around the beginning of the coldest period in January until around the day before Koshogatsu, and is held as a winter community event.
The event’s distinctive value lies not only in the lion dance itself, but also in how it embodies the changes in life in Ushijima and the feelings of the people who have passed the dance down.
A winter rite to ward off misfortune, with a lion praying as it travels through Ushijima
What to expect
During the event, the lion travels through the neighborhoods, praying for protection from misfortune and other blessings.
It takes place from around the beginning of the coldest period in January until around the day before Koshogatsu.
Through the lion dance, people express wishes for protection from fire, the removal of disaster and the welcoming of good fortune, and the safety of each household.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Ushijima, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
Address Ushijima, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
From around the beginning of the coldest period (around the 5th) in January until around the day before Koshogatsu (the 14th)
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 Akita Prefecture / Akita City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
あきた文学資料館
秋田県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：Daigo35 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
ノースアジア大学雪国民俗館
秋田県秋田市にある資料館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
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ポートタワー・セリオン
秋田港にあるポートタワー
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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久保田城
秋田市に所在する城
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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仁別森林博物館
秋田市にある博物館
写真：MWE / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
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千秋公園
秋田県秋田市にある公園
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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彌高神社
秋田県秋田市千秋公園にある神社
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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旧秋田藩主佐竹氏別邸
秋田県秋田市にある久保田藩主佐竹氏の別邸および庭園
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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秋田城
秋田県秋田市にある古代城柵
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
秋田大学附属鉱業博物館
秋田県秋田市にある博物館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
秋田市大森山動物園
秋田県秋田市の大森山公園にある動物園
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja
The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja has been passed down in Ushijima, Akita City.
It is said to encapsulate the changes in life in Ushijima and the feelings of local people toward the lion dance.
On March 26, 2021, it was designated an intangible folk cultural property by Akita City.
Official information
It is an intangible folk cultural property designated by Akita City.
It was designated on March 26, 2021.
The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja at a Glance
The lion dance event at Sankō Kumano Jinja is an intangible folk cultural property passed down in Ushijima, Akita City.
From around the beginning of the coldest period in January until around the day before Koshogatsu, the lion travels through the neighborhoods, praying for protection from misfortune and fire, the removal of disaster and the welcoming of good fortune, and the safety of each household.
A winter community event that conveys the changes in life in Ushijima and the feelings of local people.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
