Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo

Festival highlights

The highlight is the distinctive festival style presented by each of the 4 ujiko groups.

Kamwaka-gumi and Shimonaka-gumi perform hidden taiko on the oyama with a hayashi cart, while Kamiko-gumi performs Kamiko Dance on the kamiko cart.

In Sasa-gumi, a Yan’yōgami joins the Sasa Odori, performed by 1 large-taiko player and 2 small-taiko players. At the end, the Yan’yōgami holding bamboo performs a movement in which they lie down.

A spring festival in Ushikubo alive with dashi performances and children’s dances

What to expect

At the eve festival, the shishigashira from Tennosha is brought to Hachimansha; at the main festival, it is sent back to Tennosha together with the mikoshi from Hachimansha.

As part of the sacred procession, the 4 groups—Kamwaka-gumi, Shimonaka-gumi, Kamiko-gumi, and Sasa-gumi—each present performances such as the oyama, hayashi cart, kamiko cart, and Sasa Odori.

The festival is supported by ujiko representatives, festival coordinators, the youth association, shrine attendants, musicians, and others. Young people take part as performers in the festival arts.

Location and access

Venue and address

Ushikubo Hachimansha (Ushikubo-cho, Toyokawa City)

神幸先：天王社

Address Ushikubo-cho, Toyokawa City

Dates and season

Season

Saturday and Sunday closest to the 7th and 8th of April

Accommodation and hotels PR

Nearby attractions

Museums and art museumsToyokawa City

御油の松並木資料館

愛知県豊川市の博物館・美術館のスポットです。

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写真：Lombroso / CC BY-SA 4.0

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Temples and shrinesToyokawa City

砥鹿神社

愛知県豊川市にある神社

Visit the official page ↗ⓘ Photo and data sources

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写真：Lombroso / Public domain

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Museums and art museumsToyokawa City

豊川市桜ヶ丘ミュージアム

愛知県豊川市にある博物館と美術館の機能を持つ複合文化施設

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 Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo

The Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo is recorded in the Genroku 14 (1701) Ushikubo Mitsudanki as taking place on the 7th and 8th of April, and is considered a festival observance for the eighth day of the fourth lunar month that has continued since long ago.

In Showa 24, the place where the shishigashira was received and sent off changed from Kumano Shrine in Shimonagayama-cho to Tennosha, its current location.

Around Showa 40, changes in traffic conditions led the festival procession to move to its current route, but the basic form of the festival has been well preserved.

Official information

The Aichi Prefectural Cultural Properties Navigator features information about the cultural property status of the Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo and a detailed explanation.

As a prefecturally designated intangible folk cultural property, the festival is introduced through its origins, the performances of each group, and the locations where festival implements are stored.

This explanation was prepared based on reports from designation surveys and other sources, under the supervision of a member of the Aichi Prefectural Cultural Properties Protection Council.

Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo at a Glance

The Wakaba Festival of Ushikubo is an annual festival that brings together the sacred procession of Tennosha’s shishigashira and the mikoshi, centered on Ushikubo Hachimansha, with festival performances by 4 ujiko groups.

The hidden taiko performance on the oyama, Kamiko Dance, and Sasa Odori reflect the distinctive festival arts of the Higashi-Mikawa region.

The festival date appears in records from Genroku 14 (1701). Although the locations and procession route have changed over time, the basic form of the festival and its continuation by the local community have been passed down.