A traditional rite in Minamiboso where bonfires and a mikoshi greet the dawn
The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- 10 days from the night of day 26 of lunar month 11 / It is said to be a traditional rite held every year.
- Location
- Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine
- Area
- Chiba Prefecture・Minamiboso City(From Tokyo: approx. 40 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A 10-day rite held according to the lunar calendar at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine in Shirahama, Minamiboso City. Long-standing practices such as rope-making, putting up , and the all-night festival are still carried on today.
About The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine
The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine is a rite handed down at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine in Takiguchi, Shirahama, Minamiboso City.
For 10 days from the night of day 26 of lunar month 11, activities include staying overnight at the shrine office, visiting the mountain, rope-making, and putting up shimenawa.
It is a designated intangible folk cultural property of Minamiboso City, and parts of the rite continue to be passed down today.
Source: 南房総市指定文化財 | 南房総市ホームページ / 下立松原神社（南房総市白浜町滝口） - Shrine-heritager
Festival highlights
The highlight is the “all-night festival,” held toward the end of the rite.
At night, a large bonfire is lit as a sacred fire along the shrine approach, and the , bearing the transferred spirit, is carried in procession to the beyond the gate.
Before dawn, the mikoshi returns to the main sanctuary, making this an impressive rite that brings together fire and the movement of the mikoshi.
A traditional rite in Minamiboso where bonfires and a mikoshi greet the dawn
What to expect
The rite begins on the night of day 26 of lunar month 11.
For 3 days from the 27th, the chief priest and representatives of the parishioners stay overnight at the shrine office. They also make the “Sabashi-mairi” visit to Shikurayama and perform “Ichinobi,” the twisting of rope.
After shimenawa are put up on December 1, the mikoshi is carried in procession during the all-night festival on the final day and returns to the main sanctuary before dawn.
How to take part
The rite is led by the chief priest, representatives of the parishioners, and shrine officials.
The roles of those who conduct the festival are described in detail, including staying overnight at the shrine office, visiting the mountain, and the mikoshi procession.
Whether general visitors may take part in the rite, and which areas they may view, needs to be confirmed.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine (1728 Takiguchi, Shirahama, Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture).
- By car
Directions say to head south from Tateyama Station on Prefectural Route 86; the journey is about 11 km and takes around 25 minutes by car.
Source: 南房総市｜宗教法人一覧／千葉県
Address 1728 Takiguchi, Shirahama, Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture
Dates and season
- Season
10 days from the night of day 26 of lunar month 11
- Frequency
It is said to be a traditional rite held 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 Chiba Prefecture / Minamiboso City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The all-night festival takes place from nighttime until before dawn, with bonfires lit along the approach to the shrine.
If you plan to watch, bear in mind that the rite takes place at night in the , and quietly observe from a spot where you will not obstruct the proceedings.
Take care where you step on the stone stairs and shrine approach.
Nearby attractions
野島埼灯台
千葉県南房総市にある灯台
写真：ガウス at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·Origins and History of The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine
The Mikari Rite is said to have been performed since around Bunka 13 of the Edo period.
According to a tradition about its origins, Yufutsunushi-no-Mikoto and Ame-no-Tomino-Mikoto landed in Awa, where they hunted and defeated boars and deer that were damaging crops.
Minamiboso City designated it an intangible folk cultural property in Heisei 18 March 1. The sequence of rites continues to be passed down, though in a simplified form.
Official information
Minamiboso City lists the Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine as a city-designated intangible folk cultural property.
The venue is Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine, at 1728 Takiguchi, Shirahama, Minamiboso City.
The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine at a Glance
The Mikari Rite at Shimotatsu Matsubara Shrine is a traditional event in Takiguchi, Shirahama, Minamiboso City, lasting 10 days from the night of day 26 of lunar month 11.
After staying overnight at the shrine office, visiting Shikurayama, making rope, and putting up shimenawa, the mikoshi is carried in procession through the bonfire on the final day.
The rite dates back to the Edo period and is designated an intangible folk cultural property by the city.
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
