Tatsuno’s unusual festival, where tengu and shishi leap out of a green bamboo boat
Tengu Festival at Shinmei Jinja
The 2026 edition of Tengu Festival at Shinmei has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/18Ended
- Season / frequency
- 3rd Sunday of October every year / 1 time per year
- Location
- Shinmei Jinja
- Area
- Nagano Prefecture・Tatsuno-machi(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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
At the Tengu Festival of Shinmei Jinja, handed down in Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town, tengu and shishi leap out of a boat made of green bamboo and dash around the . It is a distinctive festival that has also been designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the town.
About Tengu Festival at Shinmei Jinja
The Tengu Festival of Shinmei Jinja is a festival handed down in Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town, Kamiina District, Nagano Prefecture.
A distinctive feature is the sight of tengu and shishi leaping out of a boat made of green bamboo and dashing around the shrine grounds.
In Showa 49, it was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the town.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the moment tengu and shishi leap out of a boat made of green bamboo.
After emerging from the boat, the tengu and shishi dash around the shrine grounds.
It is a distinctive festival that combines the movements of the boat, tengu, and shishi.
Tatsuno’s unusual festival, where tengu and shishi leap out of a green bamboo boat
What to expect
At the festival, tengu and shishi leap out of a boat made of green bamboo.
Afterward, they can be seen dashing around the shrine grounds.
The cultural property description introduces the specific movements at the heart of the festival in this way.
How to take part
People from the Kitaoide district take on the central roles in the festival, including playing the tengu and carrying the boat.
Visitors can watch the , performance, and boat festival on the shrine grounds.
There is also a scene in which the shishi walks among the crowd and bites people’s heads, but no information is provided on whether general visitors can take on roles in the festival’s operation.
Source: 奇祭 神明神社のお舟祭り（天狗祭り） | 長野伊那谷観光局
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town
- Train and bus
15-minute walk from Haba Station on the JR Iida Line
Address Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town, Kamiina District, Nagano Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 Event Information (The listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the festival will be held on October 18. The schedule is: shinji at the from 13:00, purification of the kasahoko and festival garments from 13:30, a hono taiko performance from 13:40, and the boat festival from 13:50.
Times may change depending on how the event is progressing.
The festival will be held rain or shine and is described as proceeding as usual, without restrictions.
Source: 神明神社お舟祭り／辰野町公式ホームページ
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 / Tatsuno-machi (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The cultural properties page notes that not all cultural properties are necessarily open to visitors.
If you wish to visit, you need to contact the relevant cultural property protection administration office.
Origins and History of Tengu Festival at Shinmei Jinja
The Tengu Festival of Shinmei Jinja is an Intangible Folk Cultural Property handed down in Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town.
It was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the town in Showa 49June 16.
No verifiable sources are available about the festival’s origins or how it came to be established.
Official information
The 2026 schedule is listed on the official Tatsuno-machi website.
The venue is Shinmei Jinja in Kitaoide. The program is scheduled to include a shinji at the honden, purification of the kasahoko and festival garments, a hono taiko performance by Tatsuno Minami Elementary School, and the boat festival.
Tengu Festival at Shinmei Jinja at a Glance
The Tengu Festival of Shinmei Jinja is an Intangible Folk Cultural Property handed down in Kitaoide, Inatomi, Tatsuno Town.
A key feature is the sight of tengu and shishi leaping out of a boat made of green bamboo and dashing around the shrine grounds.
It was designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property by the town in Showa 49June 16.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
