A Shodoshima autumn festival featuring bamboo-pole feats and the taikodai
Nobori-sashi
The 2026 edition of Nobori-sashi has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/15Ended
- Location
- Utsumi Hachiman Shrine
- Area
- Kagawa Prefecture・Shodoshima Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 15 min–1 h 35 min · flight time only)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
- Required number of participants
- About 60 bearers
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
An autumn festival passed down at Utsumi Hachiman Shrine in Umaki, Shodoshima Town. The festival features an event in which the taikodai is carried up the stone steps to the , as well as Nobori-sashi, a traditional event said to have continued for more than 150 years.
About Nobori-sashi
Nobori-sashi is a traditional event held during the autumn festival at Utsumi Hachiman Shrine in Umaki, Shodoshima Town.
The festival also includes an event in which a large taikodai is carried up the stone steps to the honden.
Nobori-sashi is said to have continued for more than 150 years and is introduced as an autumn tradition passed down in the community.
Festival highlights
One highlight is the taikodai passing through the , climbing the stone steps little by little, and reaching the front of the honden.
Along the way, the bearers lift the taikodai and tilt it diagonally as they proceed.
Another feature is Nobori-sashi, in which performers balance a bamboo pole about 13 meters long on one hand, an elbow, or the chin, and dedicate their remarkable feats.
A Shodoshima autumn festival featuring bamboo-pole feats and the taikodai
What to expect
At the autumn festival, local elementary school students climb aboard the taikodai, while about 60 bearers pass through the torii and climb the stone steps.
The taikodai proceeds as the bearers lift it and tilt it diagonally, then reaches the front of the honden.
In Nobori-sashi, performers support a long bamboo pole with one hand, an elbow, or the chin, and dedicate feats while keeping their balance.
How to take part
必要人数：約60人の担ぎ手
Location and access
- Venue and address
Utsumi Hachiman Shrine, Umaki, Shodoshima Town
Event venue 香川県小豆島町 内海八幡神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the dates listed have passed)
Held on October 15, 2026.
The event in which the taikodai was carried to the front of the honden and the traditional event Nobori-sashi took place.
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 Kagawa Prefecture / Shodoshima Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
二十四の瞳映画村
香川県小豆島にあるテーマパーク
Origins and History of Nobori-sashi
Nobori-sashi is a traditional event said to have continued for more than 150 years.
No detailed account is given of how it developed into its present form or when it began.
The article introduces it as an event in which performers dedicate feats using a bamboo pole.
Nobori-sashi at a Glance
Nobori-sashi is a traditional event said to have continued for more than 150 years, held during the autumn festival at Utsumi Hachiman Shrine in Umaki, Shodoshima Town.
The festival is known for the powerful sight of about 60 bearers carrying the taikodai up the stone steps to the honden, and for Nobori-sashi, performed with a bamboo pole about 13 meters long.
In 2026, it was held on October 15.
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
