Memories of the ancient festival and ritual sumo passed down at Sada Shrine
Ritual sumo
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- The Naorai Festival was once held in the lunar month of April 3 and is now held on May 3 in the solar calendar, but it is currently suspended.
- Location
- Sada Shrine (a festival centered on the Naorai Hall)
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Matsue City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Ritual sumo is an ancient rite performed as part of the Naorai Festival at Sada Shrine in Matsue. The Naorai Festival is currently suspended.
About Ritual sumo
sumo was one of the sacred rites once performed at Sada Shrine in Kashima-cho, Matsue.
Various sacred rites were performed at the Naorai Festival, centered on the Naorai Hall, and shinji sumo was among them.
Festival highlights
Shinji sumo is said to have been one of the ancient rites that formed part of Sada Shrine’s Naorai Festival.
The festival also included the recitation of , the chief priest’s offering of , the Yaotome dance, a cup ceremony, , and the Miko no Mai dance.
A distinctive feature is that these rites have been passed down within the shrine’s festival space.
Memories of the ancient festival and ritual sumo passed down at Sada Shrine
What to expect
In the Naorai Festival of the past, after festival staff and parishioners performed a sake-cup ritual at the festival hall, they gathered at the ritual grounds, where sacred rites were held in the Naorai Hall and Dance Hall.
Ritual sumo was positioned as one event held as part of the festival.
As the Naorai Festival is currently suspended, you may not be able to experience the same sequence of events at the site.
Source: 直会祭（なおらいさい） 佐太神社公式ホームページ
Location and access
- Venue and address
Sada Shrine (a festival centered on the Naorai Hall).
73 Sada Miyauchi, Kashima-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-0331.
- Train and bus
Take an Ichibata Bus bound for Etomo from JR Matsue Station for about 25 minutes, then get off at “Sada Shrine-mae.” The shrine is right there.
- Parking
Space is available for 60 standard cars and approximately 10 large buses.
Source: Access · 宿泊など 佐太神社公式ホームページ
Address 73 Sada Miyauchi, Kashima-cho, Matsue, Shimane
Dates and season
- Season
The Naorai Festival was once held in the lunar month of April 3 and is now held on May 3 in the solar calendar, but it is currently suspended.
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 Shimane Prefecture / Matsue City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Ritual sumo has not been confirmed as a current event; it is a rite that was once performed at the Naorai Festival.
At Sada Shrine, please follow any guidance about visits or access to the grounds so as not to interfere with sacred rites.
Even if you are visiting to worship or use nearby facilities, it is important to check the guidance at the site.
Nearby attractions
いずもまがたまの里 伝承館
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
写真：江戸村のとくぞう (Edomura no Tokuzo) / CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source ·
メテオプラザ
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
中村元記念館
島根県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Sada Shrine
島根県松江市にある神社
八重垣神社
松江市にある神社
小泉八雲旧居
島根県松江市にある文学館
小泉八雲記念館
島根県松江市にある文学館
島根大学旧奥谷宿舎
島根県松江市にある洋館
島根県立八雲立つ風土記の丘
島根県の風土記の丘。
島根県立美術館
島根県松江市にある美術館
松江フォーゲルパーク
島根県松江市にあるテーマーパーク
松江歴史館
島根県松江市にある博物館
Origins and History of Ritual sumo
Ritual sumo is one of the ancient rites once performed at Sada Shrine’s Naorai Festival.
The Naorai Festival is said to commemorate the visit of an imperial envoy when a shrine building was constructed and two deities were enshrined together. It was originally held on the 3rd day of the 4th lunar month.
Before the postwar institutional reforms, parishioners from the six villages in the former Sada Shrine domain served the festival in alternating years.
Official information
The official Sada Shrine website provides information about the origins of the Naorai Festival and the ritual sumo that was once performed as part of it.
Sada Shrine’s current website provides information such as its festival calendar and transportation access.
Ritual sumo at a Glance
Ritual sumo is a rite that has been passed down alongside the Naorai Festival at Sada Shrine in Matsue.
The Naorai Festival also included a cup ceremony, lion dances, and preserving the tradition of ancient dances.
However, the Naorai Festival is currently suspended, so you cannot plan a visit on the assumption that ritual sumo will be held in 2026.
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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