A festival where ancient Wakasa prayers live on in the mikoshi and the King’s Dance
Shiimura Shrine Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, May 4–6 / Every year
- Location
- Shiimura Shrine
- Area
- Fukui Prefecture・Obama City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 50 min–3 h 20 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A festival passed down at Shiimura Shrine in Wakasa, Obama City, Fukui Prefecture, known for its procession, , and King’s Dance. The eve festival, main festival, and events on the 6th take place from May 4 to the 6th. As a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property, the festival’s old form is preserved by local people.
About Shiimura Shrine Festival
The Shiimura Shrine Festival is a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property, passed down at Shiimura Shrine in Wakasa, Obama City, Fukui Prefecture.
It consists of an eve festival on May 4, the main festival on May 5, and events on May 6. It features a mikoshi procession, shishimai lion dances, and a tengu dance.
The festival is also distinctive for involving people of different generations in the community and preserving its old form to this day.
Source: 文化財詳細 | 福井県文化財ページ
Festival highlights
Highlights include the mikoshi procession from the shrine to the (temporary shrine), and the shishimai and tengu dances dedicated during the festival.
The shishimai is performed by 2 people, and the tengu dance is also known as the King’s Dance.
It is said to depict a performer wearing a tengu mask, dancing with a halberd and driving away a shishi that is damaging the crops.
A festival where ancient Wakasa prayers live on in the mikoshi and the King’s Dance
What to expect
The festival begins with preparations and rituals for the eve festival. During the main festival, the mikoshi is carried from the district shrine to the otabisho (temporary shrine).
The shishimai and King’s Dance are performed at the shrine and the otabisho: 1 time during the eve festival and 4 times during the main festival.
Participants also help with preparations such as erecting banners and wrapping chimaki, supporting the festival as a community.
How to take part
The festival’s organization and dedication rites have been passed down primarily by residents of the Wakasa district.
People of different ages in the district take part in sustaining the festival, so participation in community roles is thought to be centered on local residents.
Please check the event information to find out whether general visitors can take part in the rituals or dances.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shiimura Shrine (Wakasa, Obama City, Fukui Prefecture).
The main festival includes a mikoshi procession to the otabisho (temporary shrine).
- By car
About 15 minutes from Obama IC.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Source: 椎村神社（若狭）の御祭神由緒と王の舞について【福井県小浜市】 | 福井県伝承浪漫
Address Wakasa, Obama City, Fukui Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, May 4–6
- Frequency
Every year
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 Fukui Prefecture / Obama City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
When watching dedications in the or the procession to the otabisho, please follow local guidance and staff instructions so as not to disrupt the rituals.
Since the festival is said to have traditionally avoided ritual impurity and strictly upheld its traditions, visitors are encouraged to observe quietly and respectfully.
If you’re coming by car, there is no parking, so please check your transportation options in advance.
Nearby attractions
山川登美子記念館
福井県小浜市にある文学館
御食国若狭おばま食文化館
福井県小浜市にある博物館
福井県立若狭歴史博物館
福井県小浜市にある博物館
Origins and History of Shiimura Shrine Festival
Records of the Shiimura Shrine Festival include the Wakasa-gun Ken-shi, the Chisako, and ink inscriptions on the baseboards of the large and small mikoshi.
Records show that it was once held on day 5 of lunar month 5 or on the Day of the Monkey at the end of April.
People of different generations in the community continue to support the festival and pass down its old traditions.
Official information
The Fukui Prefecture Cultural Properties page introduces the Shiimura Shrine Festival as a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property.
It is also listed on the Japan Heritage Portal Site as a constituent cultural property located in Obama City, Fukui Prefecture.
Source: 椎村神社の祭り｜日本遺産ポータルサイト
Shiimura Shrine Festival at a Glance
The Shiimura Shrine Festival is a locally rooted intangible folk cultural property held in early May in Wakasa, Obama City.
Along with the mikoshi procession, the festival features a 2-person shishimai and the King’s Dance, performed by a dancer wearing a tengu mask and holding a halberd.
The festival’s events and customs have been preserved through old records and local traditions.
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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