A summer grand festival in Tanabe, where kasahoko floats and mikoshi make their way through the former castle town
Tanabe Festival
The 2026 edition of Tanabe Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/07/24 〜 2026/07/25Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on July 24 and the 25th / Every year
- Location
- Tōkei Shrine and central Tanabe
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Tanabe City(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 h · 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Participation fee
- Free
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This of Tokei Shrine features kasahoko floats and processing through central Tanabe, with from each neighborhood and offered.
About Tanabe Festival
Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Mr,Kimura File:七度半の使い（旧会津橋）七度目.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Mr,KimuraDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Dryota39 File:Tanabe festival 20170724.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Photo credits and terms of use
Photographer: Mr.Kimura File:御旅所（江川漁港）での様子.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Mr.KimuraDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.Tanabe Festival is the annual grand festival held at Tōkei Shrine in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture.
Kasahoko floats are brought out from neighborhoods in the former castle town of Tanabe, and events include a mikoshi procession, a kasahoko float procession, and yabusame.
The festival is said to date back to the mid-16th century and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Wakayama Prefecture.
The shrine festival is intertwined with neighborhood offerings, passing down the area’s history and customs to the present day.
Source: 田辺祭 - Wikipedia
Festival highlights
A highlight is watching kasahoko floats from neighborhoods in the former castle town of Tanabe make their way through the city.
Each neighborhood’s float carries different figures or sacred objects, while musicians play festival music on drums, flutes, shamisen, and other instruments beneath the float.
The floats being drawn together on a bridge on the night of the Yoimiya and entering the on the night of the main festival are also memorable.
At the end of the festival, 3 riders carrying children perform yabusame.
A summer grand festival in Tanabe, where kasahoko floats and mikoshi make their way through the former castle town
What to expect
After pre-festival events such as the Ota Festival in April and float test runs in July, the festival proceeds to the Yoimiya on July 24 and the main festival on the 25th.
The Yoimiya features a mikoshi procession, a miko dance performance at the , a kasahoko float procession, and the floats being drawn together at night.
The main festival begins with an early-morning dawn ceremony, followed by the kasahoko procession and duties at the shrine, and the floats’ entry into the shrine grounds. Yabusame is dedicated at night.
Each neighborhood performs music and songs at its lodging house and shrine, and also carries out duties that include handing out artificial flowers.
How to take part
The people who fill central festival roles, such as pulling the kasahoko floats, performing the hayashi, serving as children in the procession, and taking turns as festival duty officers, come from each neighborhood.
It is not stated whether members of the general public can apply for these roles.
At the same time, participation has broadened to include the whole neighborhood, including women. In some cases, women serve as shrine maidens or work behind the scenes.
Visitors watch the procession and offerings from places such as along the route.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Tokei Shrine and central Tanabe (1-1 Toyo, Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture).
- Train and bus
A 5-minute walk from JR Kii-Tanabe Station.
- By car
About 10 minutes from the Nanki-Tanabe IC on the Hanwa Expressway.
- Parking
Tokei Shrine has free parking for 50 cars.
There is also paid municipal parking nearby, which is free for stays of 1 hour or less.
Source: 田辺祭（和歌山県／田辺市）｜開催期間・アクセス｜るるぶ&more.
Address 1-1 Toyo, Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture
Dates and season
2026 festival information (the listed dates have passed)
The festival was scheduled to run from July 24 (Friday) to July 25 (Saturday) in 2026.
The main events held every year are the Yoimiya on July 24 and the main festival on the 25th.
The Yoimiya features a mikoshi procession and kasahoko floats, while the main festival features the kasahoko floats entering the shrine grounds and yabusame.
There are also community pre-festival events, including the Ota Festival in April and float test runs from early July onward.
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 Wakayama Prefecture / Tanabe City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
During the Yoimiya and main festival days, kasahoko floats process not only through the shrine grounds but also around central Tanabe and the nearby bridges.
The locations and events vary by time of day, including mikoshi togyo, the gathering of kasahoko floats, the shrine entrance procession, and yabusame, so it’s best to check the times of the events you want to see before heading out.
The floats also gather and enter the shrine at night.
During the kasahoko procession, please watch from a place that does not obstruct the procession or traffic restrictions.
Nearby attractions
Attractions introduced near the festival venue include Tōkei Shrine, the Minakata Kumagusu Archives, Tanabe Ogigahama Beach, and the remains of the Tanabe Castle water gate.
Since the festival takes place at Tōkei Shrine and throughout central Tanabe, you can visit sites associated with both the shrine festival and the streets of the former castle town.
Nearby attractions also listed include the Kishu Binchotan Charcoal Memorial Park and Kinami Tourist Grape Orchard.
For opening hours and conditions of use, please check the information provided by each venue you plan to visit.
Source: 「田辺市 見る 遊ぶ 買う 温泉他 その他」のスポット一覧｜るるぶ&more.
南方熊楠顕彰館
和歌山県田辺市にある博物館
新庄総合公園
和歌山県田辺市にある公園
熊野古道なかへち美術館
和歌山県田辺市にある美術館
熊野本宮大社
和歌山県田辺市本宮町本宮にある神社
写真：Tim Notari from Tanabe-Shi Wakayama-Ken, Japan / CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source ·
田辺市立美術館
和歌山県田辺市にある美術館
道の駅田辺市龍神ごまさんスカイタワー
和歌山県田辺市にある国道371号の道の駅
Origins and History of Tanabe Festival
Tanabe Festival is said to have begun in the mid-16th century. In 1605, wheeled floats were used in the festival, and yabusame began in 1607.
Noh performances were dedicated to the shrine during part of the Edo period, and in 1642 the festival was changed to feature kasahoko floats.
Later, the platforms for the neighborhood floats were fitted with wheels, forming the prototype of today’s kasahoko floats.
Even after the Meiji period began, the shapes of the kasahoko floats changed as neighborhoods were reorganized and floods occurred, but the festival has continued to be passed down.
Official information
The official Wakayama tourism website, “Visit Wakayama,” has information about the Tanabe Festival.
It introduces the festival as the annual grand festival of Tōkei Shrine and highlights the kasahoko floats being drawn together on a bridge on the night of July 24 and the early-morning rites on the 25th.
Check the latest information before the festival.
Source: Tanabe-matsuri Festival｜Events｜Visit Wakayama - The Official Tourism Website of Wakayama Prefecture
Tanabe Festival at a Glance
Centered on the annual grand festival at Tōkei Shrine, the Tanabe Festival is a traditional event in Tanabe featuring a mikoshi procession, kasahoko floats, music played by each neighborhood, and yabusame.
In 2026, the festival was scheduled for July 24 and the 25th, at Tōkei Shrine and throughout central Tanabe.
The main highlights are the kasahoko floats moving through the city, the floats being drawn together at night, and yabusame at the main festival.
The festival can be reached with a 5-minute walk from JR Kii-Tanabe Station, according to the available information.
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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