A moment with Shinohara’s furyu dance, passed down with fans and small drums
Shinohara Odori
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Jan / Every year
- Area
- Nara Prefecture・Gojō City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h–3 h 30 min · bullet train + connecting 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This traditional performing art, featuring fan dances and the sound of small drums, is dedicated before the deity in Shinohara, Ōtō-chō, Gojō City. The dance, said to have begun as an offering of thanks for driving away wolves, is passed down to the present day by the preservation society.
About Shinohara Odori
Shinohara Odori is one of the furyu dances dedicated at a shrine in Shinohara, Ōtō-chō, Gojō City.
To the accompaniment of short folk songs, men play shimedaiko drums while women dance with fans.
Today, the preservation society passes down 3 dances: “Irinami Odori,” “Yononaka Odori,” and “Takara Odori.”
This is a folk performing art passed down and preserved by local people.
Source: 奈良県の伝統行事 / 奈良県 / 奈良祭時記 / 奈良県
Festival highlights
A highlight is watching the graceful fan dance to the sounds of shimedaiko drums and short folk songs.
Three dances known as “Shiki Sanban” are dedicated before the deity. They include “Ume no Furuki Odori,” “Takara Odori,” and “Yononaka Odori.”
One distinctive feature of Shinohara Odori is that although many pieces were performed in the past, the lyrics for 37 songs and 17 dances are still passed down today.
Source: 国指定文化財等データベース
A moment with Shinohara’s furyu dance, passed down with fans and small drums
What to expect
During the event, members of the preservation society dedicate the prescribed dances before the deity in sequence.
Several men play small drums while women dance with fans to the accompaniment of short folk songs. Each piece offers its own movements and musical character to enjoy.
In the past, additional pieces were performed at Manpukuji Temple after the shrine dedication, but today the tradition centers on the old-style dances.
How to take part
Shinohara Odori is performed as a traditional art offered by members of the preservation society.
No arrangements for general visitors to join as dancers or calls for participants on the day are announced.
If you visit to watch, please be considerate of the setting for the ritual and offering, and enjoy the event by following the guidance at the venue.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Tenman Shrine (816 Shinohara, Ōtō-chō, Gojō City)
- By car
One route to Gojō City is via Prefectural Road 30 (Sanroku Line) from Katsuragi IC on the Minami-Hanna Road.
Source: 交通アクセス｜五條市観光協会
Address 816 Shinohara, Ōtō-chō, Gojō City, Nara Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
Jan
- 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 Nara Prefecture / Gojō City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Shinohara Odori
Shinohara Odori is said to have originated when people dedicated a dance to their tutelary deity in gratitude for the successful driving away of wolves that had been troubling the area around Shinohara.
Records dating back about 200 years survive, and it is also said that people from other villages came to watch during the Edo period.
A preservation society was formed following its designation as a cultural property in Showa 46, and efforts to pass it on have continued despite changes in the community.
Official information
Shinohara Odori’s status as a cultural property can be verified in the National Database of Designated Cultural Properties and Nara Prefecture’s cultural property information.
Information on the venue, the usual time of year, and the dances performed is also available in the Gojō City Tourism Association’s introduction.
A phone number for the Ōtō Branch Office of Gojō City Hall is listed as a contact.
Source: 篠原踊り｜五條市で“遊ぶ”｜五條市観光協会
Shinohara Odori at a Glance
Shinohara Odori is a furyu dance passed down in Shinohara, Ōtō-chō, Gojō City, and a devotional performance using shimedaiko drums and fans.
It is said to have begun as an offering of thanks for driving away wolves. Today, the preservation society dedicates 3 dances before the deity.
The published information for 2026 gives inconsistent dates, so check the schedule before visiting.
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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