Tokumaru’s prayers for an abundant harvest, embodied in the taiko and gestures of rice cultivation
Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Every year, at night on February 11 / Once a year
- Location
- Kitano Shrine
- Area
- Tokyo Metropolis・Itabashi City(Within Tokyo: approx. 15 min–1 h by train (central areas))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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Last updated
- 2026/11/13
Tokumaru Kitano Ta-asobi is a traditional ritual of Tokumaru that portrays a year of rice cultivation with the as a symbol of the rice paddy and prays for an abundant harvest.
About Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi
Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi is a rice-field ritual designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan, passed down in the village of Tokumaru.
On a two-ken-square mogari stage, the taiko symbolizes a rice paddy as the work of cultivating rice over a year is reenacted, with prayers for an abundant harvest.
The ritual keeps alive the memory of Tokumaru’s past as a farming village and the commitment of descendants to preserving local traditions.
Festival highlights
The highlight is a sequence of gestures inside the mogari set up in front of the , portraying the stages of work in the rice fields.
The Ōmiya Taiko, placed at the center, is the festival’s main instrument and also a symbol of the rice paddy.
The Ōinamoto, Koinamoto, Saotome, and Kuwatori performers take their roles, acting out the sequence from “Machibushi Shirabe” to “Kuraire” in just under 2 hours.
Tokumaru’s prayers for an abundant harvest, embodied in the taiko and gestures of rice cultivation
What to expect
For the ritual, a two-ken-square mogari is set up with sacred bamboo and on all four sides, and the Ōmiya Taiko is placed at its center.
Around 6 p.m., the Ōinamoto, Koinamoto, Saotome, Kuwatori, and other performers gather and reenact the sequence of rice cultivation, from “Machibushi Shirabe” to “Kuraire.”
The gestures and spoken words are passed down orally, portraying the work of the rice fields as a ritual offering.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kitano Shrine, 6-34-3 Tokumaru, Itabashi City
- Train and bus
A short walk from Tobu Nerima Station on the Tobu Tojo Line / A short walk from Takashimadaira Station on the Toei Mita Line / From Narimasu Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, take a Kokusai Kogyo bus bound for Akabane Station, get off at Kōbai Elementary School, then walk 5 minutes / From Takashimadaira Station on the Toei Mita Line, take a bus bound for Tobu Nerima Station, get off at Tokumaru 6-chome, then walk 5 minutes
Address 6-34-3 Tokumaru, Itabashi City, Tokyo
Dates and season
- Season
Every year, at night on February 11
- Frequency
Once a 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 Tokyo Metropolis / Itabashi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
Itabashi City Folk Performing Arts Heritage Center (adjacent to Tokumaru Kitano Jinja)
Origins and History of Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi
According to the history of Tokumaru Kitano Jinja, the Ta-asobi ritual began in 995, when a divided spirit was welcomed from Kitano Tenmangū in Kyoto and the work of rice farmers was offered in worship.
According to the jinja, it has continued without a single year’s interruption since its founding.
In the past, roles were passed down through generations by representatives of households and caves in Tokumaru-go; today, they are carried on by a preservation society formed by descendants of the ujiko.
Official information
Tokumaru Kitano Jinja official website, “About the Ta-asobi Ritual”
Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi at a Glance
Tokumaru Kitano Jinja Ta-asobi is a traditional ritual that portrays a year of rice cultivation on the mogari in front of the haiden and prays for an abundant harvest.
With the Ōmiya Taiko as a symbol of the rice paddy, the Ōinamoto, Saotome, Kuwatori, and other performers enact the sequence from “Machibushi Shirabe” to “Kuraire.”
Its history is connected with its founding in 995, and today the preservation society and descendants of the ujiko continue the tradition.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/13
