A night of prayer and fortune-telling, braving the cold in Shiraito’s clear stream
Shiraito no Kantsumisogi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Late at night on the 3rd Saturday of December every year / Every year
- Location
- Kawatsukigawa River ( site) beside Kumano Shrine
- Area
- Fukuoka Prefecture・Itoshima City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A traditional winter festival passed down in Shiraito, Itoshima City. It features misogi purification in a cold river and fortune-telling with rice.
About Shiraito no Kantsumisogi
Shiraito no Kantsumisogi is a festival held every December around Kumano Shrine in Shiraito, Itoshima City.
Downstream from Shiraito Falls, rice is washed and cooked, then offered before the shrine deity; the fortunes of the coming year are divined from which way the tip of the mound tilts.
This traditional event, representative of the Shiraito area, combines misogi purification in a cold river with customs praying for bountiful harvests and freedom from illness.
Source: 白糸の寒みそぎ（しらいとのかんみそぎ） - 糸島市 / 白糸寒みそぎ | つなぐ糸島 ｜ 糸島観光サイト produced by 糸島市観光協会
Festival highlights
A highlight is watching the men form a circle in the freezing river and perform misogi purification by splashing water on one another.
Upstream, the toshio otoko (man of the year) washes the sacred rice, then piles the cooked rice high into a cone shape.
Another distinctive feature of the festival is divining the fortunes of the coming year based on which way the tip of the rice mound tilts.
A night of prayer and fortune-telling, braving the cold in Shiraito’s clear stream
What to expect
The festival begins late at night. First, some participants wash the rice while others perform misogi purification in the river.
Men in their prime from across the village enter the cold river wearing loincloths and purify themselves by splashing water on one another.
Afterward, the rice is cooked and piled high, then offered before the shrine deity to divine the fortunes of the coming year.
How to take part
The misogi participants are mainly men in their prime from across the village.
The Shiraito area’s information says that people from within and outside the city also take part in the cold misogi in December.
However, no information is provided about the requirements or sign-up process for general visitors wishing to join the misogi.
Source: 白糸（しらいと）行政区｜きっと満足 糸島生活
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kawatsukigawa River (misogi site) beside Kumano Shrine, 684 Shiraito, Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
- Train and bus
About 20 minutes by car from JR Chikuzen-Maebaru Station.
- By car
About 18 minutes from the Maebaru Interchange on the West Kyushu Expressway.
- Parking
Parking is available at the Shiraito Branch School of Nagaito Elementary School.
Address 684 Shiraito, Itoshima City, Fukuoka Prefecture (beside Kumano Shrine)
Dates and season
- Season
Late at night on the 3rd Saturday of December every year
- 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 Fukuoka Prefecture / Itoshima City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The festival begins at around midnight, in extremely cold conditions when the river water temperature falls below 5 degrees.
If you plan to watch, dress warmly enough for the mountain area and riverside late at night.
The misogi site is on Kawatsukigawa River beside Kumano Shrine. When visiting, it is important to follow instructions and avoid disrupting the participants or the proceedings of the rites.
Nearby attractions
Shiraito Falls is near the venue.
The cold misogi takes place on Kawatsukigawa River downstream from Shiraito Falls, beside Kumano Shrine, making it possible to experience both the festival and the area’s natural scenery.
The Shiraito area is described as a place blessed with natural features such as rivers and waterfalls.
伊都国歴史博物館
糸島市の博物館
Origins and History of Shiraito no Kantsumisogi
Shiraito no Kantsumisogi is a festival that has been passed down in the community for generations.
It is believed to have a history of more than 300 years according to Itoshima City, and Fukuoka Prefecture’s tourism information introduces it as a traditional event that has continued for about 400 years.
It is still regarded as a traditional event in the Shiraito area in December, welcoming participants from both within and outside the community.
Official information
Itoshima City’s official page features Shiraito no Kantsumisogi in its information about intangible folk cultural properties.
You can find details about the festival, its location at Kumano Shrine, its late-night start time, and the rice-based fortune-telling.
Shiraito no Kantsumisogi at a Glance
Shiraito no Kantsumisogi is a winter festival passed down around Kumano Shrine in Shiraito, Itoshima City.
Late at night, while the men perform misogi purification in the cold river, rice is washed and cooked, and the fortunes of the coming year are divined from the way the mound of rice tilts.
This event brings together prayers for bountiful harvests and freedom from illness, Shiraito’s natural surroundings, and local tradition.
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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