A great boat crossing golden fields: an autumn dedication ritual passed down in Shigeyanagi
Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat
The 2026 edition of Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/09/19 〜 2026/09/20Ended
- Season / frequency
- Around the autumnal equinox / Every year
- Location
- Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine and the Shigeyanagi district
- Area
- Nagano Prefecture・Azumino City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 50 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
In the Shigeyanagi district of Minamihotaka, Toyoshina, Azumino City, a boat-shaped travels through the countryside and the grounds of Hachiman Shrine. Highlights include the great boat carrying a historical tableau and the vigorous “surging” after the .
About Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat
The Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat is a held around the autumnal equinox in the Shigeyanagi district of Minamihotaka, Toyoshina, Azumino City.
A single boat-shaped dashi is pulled through the district and dedicated in the grounds of Hachiman Shrine.
The boat, about 15 meters long and 5 meters high, is decorated with a scene from a historical tableau created with wooden figures.
Festival highlights
A highlight is seeing the large boat-shaped dashi travel through rice fields filled with golden ears of rice.
The boat is pulled across the Shigeyanagi district, from a place called Ise Shrine in the east to the banks of the Banzu River in the west.
After entering Hachiman Shrine, the boat circles the Chidoshi Stone 3 times. After the shinji, members of the preservation society vigorously rock the boat back and forth in a motion called “surging the boat.”
A great boat crossing golden fields: an autumn dedication ritual passed down in Shigeyanagi
What to expect
During the festival, a boat-shaped dashi is pulled through the Shigeyanagi district and enters the through the of Hachiman Shrine.
After making 3 circuits around the Chidoshi Stone in front of the , the shinji begins.
When the shinji ends, members of the preservation society gather around the boat and vigorously rock it back and forth, while the music continues inside the boat.
After more than 200 rounds of “surging,” the boat makes one circuit in front of the haiden and leaves.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine, Shigeyanagi district, Minamihotaka, Toyoshina, Azumino City
Event venue 長野県安曇野市 重柳八幡宮および重柳地区
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
- September 19, 2026
Eve festival; the boat is displayed in the shrine grounds
- September 20, 2026
Main festival.
The boat is pulled through the area from 12:20 p.m. to 3 p.m., followed by more than 200 rounds of “surging” in the shrine grounds
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 Nagano Prefecture / Azumino City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat is designated an Azumino City Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
When viewing the festival, please follow proper etiquette and avoid causing inconvenience to the property's owners or managers, other visitors, worshippers, or nearby residents.
Nearby attractions
穂高神社
長野県安曇野市にある神社
貞享義民記念館
長野県安曇野市にある貞享騒動の記念館
Origins and History of Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat
It is unclear when or how the Shigeyanagi festival boat began.
The deity enshrined at Hachiman Shrine differs from that of Hotaka Shrine, though the two are said to have had close ties until the early modern period.
Today, the Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Preservation Society has been formed to keep the festival alive and pass it on through boat building and hayashi lessons for elementary school students.
Official information
Azumino City Official Website (Cultural Affairs Division), “Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat”
Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat at a Glance
The Shigeyanagi Hachiman Shrine Festival Boat is an autumn reisai featuring a boat-shaped dashi pulled through the Shigeyanagi district of Minamihotaka, Toyoshina, Azumino City.
The boat, about 15 meters long and 5 meters high, travels through rice fields carrying a historical tableau created with wooden figures, and heads for Hachiman Shrine.
After the shinji, more than 200 rounds of surging and hayashi music continue in the shrine grounds, and the boat makes one circuit in front of the haiden before leaving.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
