An autumn festival in Saijo City's Tanbara district, featuring danjiri and a yakko procession
Tanbara Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Oct / Every year
- Location
- Parking lot on the north side of Tanbara Central Park and other locations
- Area
- Ehime Prefecture・Saijo City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 25 min–1 h 45 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
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
This autumn festival, passed down in the Tanbara district of Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture, includes shrine festivals and a unified kakikurabe. Alongside events where and gather, the Matsushita-style palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine is also a highlight.
About Tanbara Festival
The Tanbara Festival is a collective name for the autumn shrine festivals held in the former Tanbara Town area of Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture.
In addition to the festivals in each district, a unified kakikurabe, where danjiri and mikoshi gather, is also held.
Through events passed down in the area, such as the palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine, visitors can experience the festival culture of the Tanbara district.
Source: 丹原祭り - Wikipedia / 「丹原秋まつり」の紹介 - 愛媛県西条市ホームページ
Festival highlights
The highlight is the unified kakikurabe, where 4 danjiri and 2 mikoshi gather.
A float adorned with more than 100 lanterns is also featured, allowing visitors to enjoy the festival atmosphere from evening into night.
At Ayanobu Shrine, a yakko procession, accompanied by a hakobako, naginata, and long spears, leads the mikoshi. The yakko and mikoshi repeatedly engage in minor scuffles over the route.
An autumn festival in Saijo City's Tanbara district, featuring danjiri and a yakko procession
What to expect
The festival features mikoshi processions and yakko parades as part of the shrine festivals held in each district.
In the palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine, the procession advances with a hakobako at the front, while naginata, large and small bird-feathered spears, and bear-fur spears lead the mikoshi to the .
At the unified kakikurabe, danjiri and mikoshi gather in one place and bring the festival to life.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the event.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The Tanbara Autumn Festival Unified Kakikurabe is held in the parking lot on the north side of Tanbara Central Park.
Venues vary depending on the event, including the shrine festivals in each district.
- Parking
The venue for the unified kakikurabe is the parking lot on the north side of Tanbara Central Park.
Source: 【2026年10月最新】愛媛・西条イベントカレンダー＆マップ！西条祭り・だんじり
Event venue 愛媛県西条市 丹原中央公園北側駐車場
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
In 2026, the Tanbara Autumn Festival Unified Kakikurabe is scheduled for October 15.
The venue is Tanbara Central Park, where danjiri and mikoshi gather.
Ayanobu Shrine's autumn festival is typically listed as taking place on the third Sunday of October and the preceding day; dates vary by event.
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 Ehime Prefecture / Saijo City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
四国鉄道文化館
愛媛県西条市にある鉄道博物館
石鎚神社
愛媛県西条市にある神社
Origins and History of Tanbara Festival
The Tanbara Festival has been passed down as shrine festivals in the former Tanbara Town area.
The Matsushita-style palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine recreates a daimyo's alternate-attendance procession and is designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Saijo City.
The Akasaka-style Dochu-to-yakko procession at Iwane Shrine is said to have begun in the Edo period, but it is no longer held.
Official information
Saijo City lists the unified kakikurabe, the palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine, and the spear-throwing yakko procession at Iwane Shrine as autumn festival events in the Tanbara district.
The 2026 unified kakikurabe is listed as taking place from 6 p.m. on October 15 in the parking lot on the north side of Tanbara Central Park.
The spear-throwing yakko procession at Iwane Shrine is no longer held, so please check the details of each event before visiting.
Tanbara Festival at a Glance
The Tanbara Festival is an autumn festival comprising shrine festivals and unified events in the Tanbara district of Saijo City.
Each event has its own highlights, including kakikurabe with danjiri and mikoshi, lantern-lit floats, and the palace yakko procession at Ayanobu Shrine.
For 2026, the unified kakikurabe is listed for October 15, at the parking lot on the north side of Tanbara Central Park.
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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