Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival

Festival highlights

Highlights include rituals centered on a cauldron of hot water and the varied masked dances that appear toward the end.

The performances differ greatly depending on the style practiced in Toyama Valley: examples include a vigorous dance in which the Four Masks leap about, a quiet procession in which the Eight Shrine Deities circle the hearth, and a dance of ritual stamping to the beat of drums.

The yugiri ritual, in which hot water from the cauldron is splashed around by hand, is also well known. People bathe in the water offered to the gods and pray for good health.

Another distinctive feature is the way fire, steam, kagura songs, and a procession of masks come together at the nighttime festival site.

A traditional kagura of Toyama Valley, where cauldrons of hot water and sacred masks carry the night onward

What to expect

The basic sequence begins with purification of the festival site and the welcoming of the gods through the recitation of the register of deity names. Yudate rituals and dances follow in succession. After the gods from across Japan are sent back in the middle of the night, the gods of the communities and shrines appear in the form of masks, making up the second part of the festival.

Kagura songs are sung, the cauldron’s hot water is purified, and yuki are used to invite the gods into the water.

The latter part includes processions of masks, the dance of the Four Masks, and yugiri, though the order and movements vary by shrine.

The rites span several days, including the evening festival, preparations, and cleanup.

How to take part

The central yutate rituals and dances are performed by local participants, including shrine priests, ujiko, and preservation groups.

Visitors are generally expected to observe the rituals respectfully. Guidance for the festival grounds states that access for people other than villagers is limited to the dance pavilion.

Participants who carry on the traditions also appear, including children’s and middle school students’ dances.

Whether general visitors can take part in ritual roles must be confirmed in the guidance provided by each shrine.

Source: 上町タイプ（遠山谷北部）の霜月祭 - 飯田市ホームページ

Location and access

Venue and address

The festival takes place at shrines in the communities of Kamimura and Minamishinano, Iida City.

The festival is not held at a single venue; each shrine holds it on a different day.

Event venue 長野県飯田市 飯田市上村

This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.

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Dates and season

Season

First half of December

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

Fires are kept burning at the festival site, filling it with smoke, and the event lasts for many hours on a winter night.

Be prepared for the cold, as well as smoke, steam, and crowds.

During masked dances and yugiri, vigorous movements or splashes of hot water may occur close to spectators.

Stay within the permitted festival area, do not set up tripods or chairs, and follow the guidance of shrine parishioners and staff.

Source: 木沢タイプ（遠山谷中部）の霜月祭 - 飯田市ホームページ

Nearby attractions

Zoos and aquariumsIida City

飯田市立動物園

長野県飯田市にある動物園

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写真：Nankou Oronain (as36… / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Museums and art museumsIida City

飯田市美術博物館

長野県飯田市にある美術館兼博物館

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

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写真：Asturio Cantabrio / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Attractions in the same municipality. Check each attraction’s official website for travel distances from the venue and current opening information.

Origins and History of Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival

Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival is thought to have originated in estate rituals introduced when Toyama Valley was part of the estate of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine during the Kamakura period.

It is said that processions of masks were added from the Edo period onward. Accounts of epidemics that spread after the Toyama clan was dispossessed are also said to have influenced the festival’s structure.

The masks and movements have changed over time, incorporating offerings and prayers from each era.

Distinct styles are still passed down at each shrine, and the festival was designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in 1979.

Official information

Iida City’s cultural heritage guide provides an overview of Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival, regional features, the main festival sequence, and guidance for visitors.

The Database of Nationally Designated Cultural Properties provides details of its designation as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property and an explanation of yudate kagura.

Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival at a Glance

Toyama’s Shimotsuki Festival is a yudate kagura tradition passed down at shrines in Kamimura and Minamishinano, Iida City.

Through the cauldron’s hot water, the gods are welcomed; purification, dances, and processions of sacred masks follow as people pray for the renewal of life and the well-being of the community.

Alongside powerful scenes such as yugiri and the dance of the Four Masks, the recitation of the register of deity names and the quiet processions reveal layers of ancient belief.

Dates and styles vary by shrine, so check the information provided by the shrine hosting the festival before you visit.