A festival of children’s mikoshi and calls in Wakasa, celebrating the end of rice planting
Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Late May to around early July
- Location
- 15 communities in the Kitagawa River area of the Kaminaka region of Wakasa Town
- Area
- Fukui Prefecture・Wakasa Town(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 50 min–3 h 20 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/20
Children’s and distinctive calls make their way through Wakasa Town’s communities after rice planting. This event, which visits homes and rice fields, is tied to local farming.
About Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi
The Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi is an event in Wakasa Town celebrating the successful completion of rice planting.
It takes place in 15 communities in the Kitagawa River area of the Kaminaka region of Wakasa Town, and in some communities it is also called “Yasungyo.”
Children carry a mikoshi through the homes and rice fields, raising distinctive calls as they go.
Wakasa Town lists it as an intangible folk cultural property designated by the town.
Source: 今から見られる伝統行事を見に行こう！【5月編】 | 歳事トピックス | 福井のイベント(祭り・文化・観光)情報をご紹介 | ふくい四季のしあわせ綴り / 文化財一覧(町)／若狭町
Festival highlights
A highlight is the distinctive calls made by children in each community.
They carry a mikoshi while chanting calls such as “Sanyōre, sanyōre,” visiting homes throughout the village and rice paddies.
The festival is distinctive because it travels through places where people live and farm, rather than taking place only within a ’s grounds.
It is described as an event that is rare nationwide.
Source: テーマ展「33年前の田の神祭り 子供神輿」 | 福井県立 若狭歴史博物館
A festival of children’s mikoshi and calls in Wakasa, celebrating the end of rice planting
What to expect
During the event, children carry a mikoshi through the community while chanting distinctive hayashi calls.
The procession visits homes throughout the village and rice paddies, connecting it to local life after rice planting.
It is said to take place from late May to around early July, after rice planting.
Differences in the event’s name and hayashi calls from one community to another also offer clues to how it unfolds.
Location and access
- Venue
15 communities in the Kitagawa River area of the Kaminaka region of Wakasa Town
Event venue 福井県若狭町 若狭町上中地域北川流域の15集落
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
- Season
Late May to around early July
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 Fukui Prefecture / Wakasa Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
福井県年縞博物館
福井県若狭町にある地誌学の博物館
若狭三方縄文博物館
福井県若狭町にある博物館
Origins and History of Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi
Wakasa Town’s cultural properties list includes the Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi among the intangible folk traditions passed down in 15 communities in the town. It was designated as a cultural property in Showa 63March 1.
The Fukui Prefectural Wakasa History Museum describes it as an event held on a community day of rest after rice planting.
Official information
Wakasa Town’s official “Cultural Properties List (Town)” includes the Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi as an intangible folk cultural property designated by the town.
The Fukui Prefectural Wakasa History Museum’s information describes the post-planting timing, the community day of rest, and the mikoshi procession and hayashi calls.
Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi at a Glance
The Ta no Kami Festival and Children’s Mikoshi is an intangible folk event held in 15 communities in the Kaminaka region of Wakasa Town to mark the end of rice planting.
From late May to around early July, children carry a mikoshi through homes and rice fields, chanting distinctive calls.
Each community has its own name and hayashi calls for the event, which is rooted in local farming and daily life and is also listed as a cultural property designated by the town.
The sources do not give a specific date for the 2026 event.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/20
Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival
