A traditional Nishi-Koiso festival of dance, processions, and archery at a target
Shiraiwa Jinja festival
The 2026 edition of Shiraiwa festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/03/01Ended
- Location
- Shiraiwa Jinja (Nishi-Koiso)
- Area
- Kanagawa Prefecture・Oiso Town(From Tokyo: approx. 30 min–1 h · 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
- 2026/11/11
At Shiraiwa Jinja in Nishi-Koiso, this festival features the Urayasu no Mai dance, the shajin’s procession, and (archery on foot) with arrows shot at a target.
About Shiraiwa Jinja festival
The Shiraiwa Jinja festival is a town-designated folk material (intangible folk cultural property) passed down in Nishi-Koiso, Oiso Town.
Following a ceremony and the Urayasu no Mai dance, a shajin holds a fukumen in their mouth, circles the shrine building, and performs yabusame (archery on foot) on the .
Shajin and officials who fulfill local roles support the festival, and arrows and bamboo pieces from the target are treated as talismans against evil.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the ritual in which a shajin holding a fukumen in their mouth circles the shrine building clockwise 3 times, then circles the target 3 times on the sando.
Afterward, two bow bearers each carry 2 arrows and shoot toward the target and the auspicious direction.
The festival is also distinctive in that the arrows shot and the targets pierced by them are taken home as talismans against evil.
A traditional Nishi-Koiso festival of dance, processions, and archery at a target
What to expect
The festival begins with a ceremony and the Urayasu no Mai dance, after which a shajin holds a fukumen in their mouth and circles the shrine building clockwise 3 times.
They then proceed to the sando and circle the target 3 times, after which the two bow bearers shoot the first and second arrows, respectively.
The shajin includes roles such as onbe, bow bearer, key keeper, caretaker, meal attendant, and bearer. Officials, including neighborhood association officers, distribute bamboo pieces from the target.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shiraiwa Jinja (Nishi-Koiso)
Event venue 神奈川県大磯町 白岩神社
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed date has passed)
The event was announced as scheduled for March 1 (Sunday) at 1 p.m. in 2026.
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 Kanagawa Prefecture / Oiso Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
六所神社 (大磯町)
神奈川県中郡大磯町国府本郷にある神社
湘南平
神奈川県平塚市と大磯町の境にある丘陵
Official information
Oiso Town website, “About the Shiraiwa Jinja Festival, a Town-Designated Folk Material (Intangible Folk Cultural Property)”
Shiraiwa Jinja festival at a Glance
The Shiraiwa Jinja festival begins with a ceremony and the Urayasu no Mai dance, followed by the shajin circling the shrine building and sando, and two bow bearers shooting arrows toward the target and the auspicious direction.
The shajin consists of several roles, and officials distribute bamboo pieces from the target to worshippers.
A distinctive custom is taking home arrows and targets pierced by them as talismans against evil.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
