A festival of the shintai and a roughly handled mikoshi, passing through three municipalities
Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival
The 2026 edition of Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/10/30Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year October 30 / Every year
- Location
- From the Hetsugi district to the Babanokusu district in Kikuyo Town
- Area
- Kumamoto Prefecture・Mashiki Town, Nishihara Village, Kikuyo Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
The Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival passes through districts in Mashiki Town, Nishihara Village, and Kikuyo Town each year, handing Ohōshi-sama over to the next district. It is known for the rough handling of the carrying the , and is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
About Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival
The Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival is a ritual in which the districts of Mashiki Town, Nishihara Village, and Kikuyo Town take turns caring for the enshrined deity, “Ohōshi-sama,” who has no permanent shrine building.
The district in charge builds a temporary shrine called an “ohakariya,” enshrines Ohōshi-sama for 1 year, and then hands the deity over to the next district.
During the sacred procession, a mikoshi carrying the shintai travels through the districts. The festival is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
Festival highlights
The main highlight is the sacred procession, in which the mikoshi carrying the shintai is handled roughly.
The mikoshi is shaken and even thrown to the ground, making this a festival known as an unusual sight nationwide.
The mikoshi is carried from the district in charge to the next district and handed over at the temporary shrine.
A festival of the shintai and a roughly handled mikoshi, passing through three municipalities
What to expect
The festival includes a sacred procession to move Ohōshi-sama, who has been enshrined by the district in charge, to the next district.
A mikoshi carrying the shintai is borne through the district, with rough shaking and throwing along the way.
Finally, Ohōshi-sama is moved to the next district’s ohakariya, handing over the role for the coming year.
Location and access
- Venue and address
The district in charge in Mashiki Town, Nishihara Village, or Kikuyo Town / In 2026, from the Hetsugi district to the Babanokusu district in Kikuyo Town
Event venue 熊本県益城町,西原村,菊陽町 菊陽町戸次地区から馬場楠地区
This map uses the venue name. Check the official guide for the event area and entrances.
Dates and season
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
In 2026, the festival was held in Kikuyo Town on October 30, and the mikoshi was handed over from the Hetsugi district to the Babanokusu district.
Origins and History of Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival
The Ohōshi Festival has been passed down as a ritual procession through districts in the three municipalities that once formed the territory of Tsumori Shrine.
The 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes caused extensive damage to Tsumori Shrine and the local community. That year, the festival was scaled down and held as a “Reconstruction Prayer Festival,” and it was suspended in 2017 and 2018.
Records from when the festival resumed later describe the mikoshi traveling in procession in an effort to restore the pre-earthquake form of the festival.
Official information
The Kumamoto Traditional Performing Arts Information Site introduces the Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival as a festival designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Kumamoto Prefecture.
Publicity materials from Mashiki Town include articles documenting the mikoshi handover and processions between districts.
Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival at a Glance
The Tsumori Shrine Ohōshi Festival is a ritual in which districts in Mashiki Town, Nishihara Village, and Kikuyo Town take turns enshrining Ohōshi-sama each year and passing the role to the next district.
During the sacred procession, you can see a mikoshi carrying the shintai being shaken and thrown—an unusual sight nationwide.
In 2026, the mikoshi was handed over in Kikuyo Town from the Hetsugi district to the Babanokusu district on October 30.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
