A springtime street festival in Ube, alive with markets, a marche, and dancing
Shinkawa City Festival
The 2026 edition of Shinkawa City Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/05/05Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on May 5 / Every year
- Location
- Inside the Shintemachi Arcade and throughout the Tokiwa-dori area
- Area
- Yamaguchi Prefecture・Ube City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 35 min–1 h 55 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.
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
Held on Tokiwa-dori in central Ube, this festival offers a chance to enjoy the historic market culture, a marche, dancing, and hands-on activities.
About Shinkawa City Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: 伊部リコ File:新川市まつり - panoramio.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 伊部リコ https://web.archive.org/web/20161027031406/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/83335933Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: 伊部リコ File:新川市まつり - panoramio (1).jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 伊部リコ https://web.archive.org/web/20161027031431/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/83335938Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Shinkawa City Festival is held in central Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and brings together commerce and community life.
It is said to have originated with a trading market for seafood and agricultural produce near Nakatsuse Shrine around the 10th year of the Kansei era. Today, it features a marche and community-participation events.
The festival’s background lies in a history of celebrating the opening of the Shinkawa and wishing for the growth of local commerce.
Source: 新川市まつり - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
Highlights include the Shinkawa Marche on Tokiwa-dori and stalls featuring local products.
In 2026, the program included Hoshi★Machi Company, Hoshi★Machi Campus, Hoshi★Machi Marche, a children’s festival, and the Festa.
The lively market atmosphere, where visitors can shop and enjoy food and drink, and the Yosakoi dancing bring the streets to life.
Source: 主なゴールデンウイークイベント｜宇部市公式ウェブサイト / 新川市まつり / 山口県 -【JAPAN 47 GO】
A springtime street festival in Ube, alive with markets, a marche, and dancing
What to expect
At the venue, you can shop and enjoy food and drink at the marche featuring local products.
There are also opportunities to take part, not just watch, such as a children’s festival and workshops and events themed around flowers and greenery.
The Yosakoi Festa also features dance performances, and the program lets visitors enjoy several activities while walking around the town center.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Tokiwa-dori (designated zone on National Route 190), Tokiwa-cho, Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
- Train and bus
It is about a 10-minute walk from JR Kotoshiba Station to Ube City Hall’s main building, and about a 1-minute walk from the City Hall bus stop to the main building.
- By car
About 15 minutes by car from the Sanyo Expressway’s Ube IC.
- Parking
About 400 free parking spaces are listed.
Source: 新川市まつり2026(山口県)の詳細データ｜ウォーカープラス
Address Tokiwa-cho, Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (the published dates have passed)
In 2026, it was scheduled for May 5 (Tuesday, a public holiday), from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The main venue is Tokiwa-dori. The children’s festival runs until 4 p.m., and the Yosakoi Festa runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There is also information indicating that it is held every year on May 5.
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 Yamaguchi Prefecture / Ube City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The venue spans the streets around Tokiwa-dori, where many activities take place at the same time during the event.
The 2026 information states that the event will go ahead in rainy weather, so dressing for the weather is a good idea.
If you’re driving, check traffic conditions and parking information around the venue, and consider using public transport.
Nearby attractions
Mashimegawa Park is listed as an attraction near the festival.
The Shinkawa that gave the festival its name corresponds to the present-day Mashimegawa River.
You can combine a visit to the festival with a walk through the riverside parks and downtown area of central Ube.
ときわ公園
山口県宇部市にある公園
写真：Original uploader was Historian at en.wikipedia / CC BY 2.5
Photo source ·
宇部市石炭記念館
山口県宇部市のときわ公園にある博物館
緑と花と彫刻の博物館
山口県宇部市の博物館
逍雲堂美術館
山口県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
Origins and History of Shinkawa City Festival
Shinkawa City Festival is said to have originated around 1798, during the Kansei era, with a trading market for seafood and agricultural produce held near Nakatsuse Shrine.
In 1919, a local shopping district began holding a prize drawing called “Uma Gae,” which has been carried on as today’s “Uma Gae Grand Prize Drawing.”
In 2005, a public wedding ceremony, the “Ube Fox Bride Procession,” featuring residents selected through an open call, was also launched, and the event program has expanded over time.
Official information
Ube City’s official website lists the 2026 Shinkawa City Festival among the main events during Golden Week.
Event details and related information are also available from the Ube Tourism and Convention Association’s “Ube Tabi Navi.”
Shinkawa City Festival at a Glance
Shinkawa City Festival is a historic market festival held on Tokiwa-dori in central Ube.
In 2026, the Shinkawa Marche, a children’s festival, the Yosakoi Festa, and more were held, offering a full day of shopping, food and drink, hands-on activities, and dancing.
Rooted in a local trading market dating back to the Kansei era, the festival continues to bring life to the town center.
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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