A festival of dashi and karakuri puppets passed down by five districts
Toda Festival’s dashi events and the Hachimansha dashi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of October. The grand festival, when all five come together, takes place once every 4 years. / Held annually. The dashi gathering, when all five dashi come together, takes place once every 4 years.
- Location
- Hachimangu Shrine and other locations (dashi gathering venue: Toda Elementary School)
- Area
- Aichi Prefecture・Nagoya City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h · 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
In Toda, Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya, this festival is carried on jointly by five districts. As the dashi are pulled through the neighborhood, each district presents its own distinctive karakuri puppet performances, while street dances and festival music add to the festivities.
About Toda Festival’s dashi events and the Hachimansha dashi
Toda Festival is a festival jointly held by five villages, from Ichino-wari to Gono-wari, in Toda, Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya.
Festival floats are brought out around the shrines enshrining each district’s tutelary deity, and paraded through the neighborhood.
The area’s traditional performing arts are passed down through the dashi, karakuri puppets, street dances, and festival music.
Source: 戸田まつり 練習風景等の紹介｜中川区公式ウェブサイト
Festival highlights
Highlights include the dashi handed down in the five districts and the karakuri puppets performed on them.
Enjoy a range of mechanisms, including a puppet that strikes a bell while standing on its head atop a lotus pedestal, one that writes characters, and one that plays a while suspended in midair.
There are also performances featuring a puppet crossing a tightrope and an Echigo shishi , so you can enjoy performances with distinctive styles on each dashi.
Source: 戸田のからくり人形｜中川区公式ウェブサイト
A festival of dashi and karakuri puppets passed down by five districts
What to expect
During the festival, each district’s festival float is pulled through the neighborhood, with street dances, festival music, and karakuri puppet performances.
The festival music generally features a large taiko, a shime-daiko, and festival flutes; some districts also use small taiko.
At the dashi gathering held once every 4 years, all five dashi come together, offering a chance to see the performances of each district in one place.
Source: 戸田祭り | 愛知県の山車まつりポータルサイト あいちの山車まつり / 戸田まつりの歴史｜中川区公式ウェブサイト
Location and access
- Venue and address
Hachimangu Shrine and other locations, Toda 1-chome to 5-chome and other areas, Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya.
The dashi gathering venue is Toda Elementary School.
- Train and bus
Get off at the Toda Elementary School stop on the city bus. It is a 1-minute walk from there.
- Parking
There is no parking.
Address Toda 1-chome to 5-chome and other areas, Nakagawa Ward, Nagoya
Dates and season
- Season
Every year on the first Saturday and Sunday of October.
The grand festival, when all five dashi come together, takes place once every 4 years.
- Frequency
Held annually.
The dashi gathering, when all five dashi come together, takes place once every 4 years.
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 Aichi Prefecture / Nagoya City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The festival is held mainly in the districts of Toda and around their shrines. The dashi gathering venue may differ from the usual procession route.
If you are considering coming by car, please consider using public transportation, as there is no parking at the venue.
The karakuri puppet performances differ from one dashi to another.
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Origins and History of Toda Festival’s dashi events and the Hachimansha dashi
Toda Festival is said to have begun as the Hachiman Festival in Genroku 15 (1702).
The karakuri puppets and dashi are said to have been established around Kansei 8 (1796).
After a period when the dashi festival ceased following the Isewan Typhoon, momentum for its revival grew around Showa 50, and preservation groups have continued to pass it on.
Official information
Information about the Toda Festival venues and dashi is available on Aichi Prefecture’s Dashi Festival Portal.
Details about its history, each district’s karakuri puppets, and preservation group activities can be found on the official Nagoya City Nakagawa Ward website.
Toda Festival’s dashi events and the Hachimansha dashi at a Glance
Toda Festival is a dashi festival protected and passed down through the cooperation of Toda’s five districts.
Festival floats moving through the neighborhood, karakuri puppets handed down with each dashi, street dances, and festival music come together to convey the area’s history and performing arts.
Five dashi gather for the dashi gathering, giving you a chance to enjoy a variety of performances unique to Toda all at once.
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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