A traditional festival in which the mikoshi of Sendai Toshogu Shrine travels through the historic castle town
Sendai Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The New Year period, the spring festival season, or a festival event held once every 5 years / procession held once every 5 years
- Area
- Miyagi Prefecture・Sendai City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 30 min–2 h · 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A Sendai festival that carries on the tradition of mikoshi processions and festival parades, which began at Sendai Toshogu Shrine.
About Sendai Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Zaitaka222 File:仙台祭大神輿渡御H26.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.The Sendai Festival is a festival event held at Sendai Toshogu Shrine in Aoba Ward, Sendai, and is also another name for the Toshogu Shrine festival.
During the Edo period, a large festival procession wound through the castle town of Sendai, featuring mikoshi and .
The mikoshi procession of Sendai Toshogu Shrine continues to this day, sharing Sendai’s history and local culture.
Source: 仙台祭 - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
A major highlight is the mikoshi procession, in which the mikoshi of Toshogu Shrine travels through the city.
The surviving mikoshi is said to be carried by 48 people and to weigh 500 kan, or about 1.8 tons.
In the past, large processions made up of foot soldiers, mounted warriors, dashi, and mikoshi traveled through the castle town as events involving the entire domain.
A traditional festival in which the mikoshi of Sendai Toshogu Shrine travels through the historic castle town
What to expect
The festival features a procession with a mikoshi at its center, as well as a ceremonial parade.
The Edo-period procession included foot soldiers, mounted warriors, dashi, mikoshi, and attendants, and covered a route of about 10 kilometers that went almost all the way around the castle town of Sendai.
Today, there are opportunities to see the mikoshi procession during the New Year period, the spring festival season, and festival events held once every 5 years.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The festival centers on Sendai Toshogu Shrine (Aoba Ward, Sendai).
Event venue 宮城県仙台市 仙台東照宮を中心とする祭礼
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
The New Year period, the spring festival season, or a festival event held once every 5 years
- Frequency
Mikoshi procession held once every 5 years
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 Miyagi Prefecture / Sendai City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
二柱神社
宮城県仙台市泉区にある神社
写真：Naokijp / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
仙台うみの杜水族館
仙台市にある水族館
写真：広瀬川 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市八木山動物公園
仙台市太白区にある動物園
写真：広瀬川 / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市博物館
宮城県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市天文台
宮城県仙台市青葉区にある公開天文台
写真：Kinori / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市戦災復興記念館
仙台市にある、仙台空襲からの復興を記念する公共施設
写真：Sendai_City_War_Reconstruction_Memorial_Hall.JPG : 広瀬川 derivative work: 0607crp ( talk ) / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市歴史民俗資料館
宮城県仙台市の榴岡公園にある資料館
写真：Kyotohippie / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市科学館
日本の宮城県仙台市青葉区にある科学館
写真：掬茶 / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
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仙台市野草園
仙台市の植物園
写真：No machine-readable author provided. Kinori assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
仙台東照宮
宮城県仙台市青葉区東照宮にある神社
写真：Naokijp / CC BY-SA 4.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
地底の森ミュージアム
宮城県仙台市太白区にある歴史博物館
写真：Asenas10 at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·
大崎八幡宮
宮城県仙台市にある神社
写真：Tak1701d / CC BY-SA 3.0(resized and reformatted)
Photo source ·Origins and History of Sendai Festival
The origins of the Sendai Festival can be traced back to the Toshogu Shrine festival established by Date Tadamune, the second lord of the Sendai Domain.
It has been held since 1655, the year after Toshogu Shrine was founded, and took place 114 times over a period of about 200 years during the Edo period.
After being suspended during the Meiji Restoration and wartime, the mikoshi procession was revived through community efforts in 1921. Today, it is held as a festival event once every 5 years.
Sendai Festival at a Glance
The Sendai Festival originated as a festival at Sendai Toshogu Shrine and is a traditional Sendai event known for its mikoshi procession and historic festival parade.
The sight of 48 people carrying a mikoshi said to weigh about 1.8 tons, along with the large procession that once traveled through the castle town, are defining features of the festival.
Please check separate announcements for current dates and information on how to take part.
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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