Ushio’s traditional shinji, in which a straw serpent made its way to the guardian shrine
Ushio Snake Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Season / frequency
- Held every November / Every year
- Location
- Shirahata and Ushio Jinja
- Area
- Chiba Prefecture・Tako Town(From Tokyo: approx. 40 min–1 h · 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
- Wishes behind the festival
- Required number of participants
- A dozen or so young men took part as bearers of the giant snake
- Last updated
- 2026/10/24
A in Ushio, Tako Town, in which carried a giant snake about 8 m long made from rice straw toward Shirahata Jinja and Ushio Jinja. The festival prayed for a bountiful harvest for about 200 years, but its history came to an end after its final staging on Reiwa 6 November 10.
About Ushio Snake Festival
The Ushio Snake Festival was a shinji with a history of about 200 years, held every November at Shirahata Jinja and Ushio Jinja in Ushio, Tako Town.
Praying for a bountiful harvest, ujiko carried a giant snake about 8 m long made from rice straw toward the guardian shrine.
The festival’s history came to an end with its final staging on Reiwa 6 November 10.
Source: 牛尾の蛇祭り | 多古町ウェブサイト
Festival highlights
The highlight is the giant rice-straw snake, about 8 m long, carried by ujiko.
A sword inscribed with “Peace throughout the land” and “A bountiful harvest” was attached to the serpent’s tail. Along the way, the bearers swayed it back and forth and from side to side as they proceeded.
When they arrived at the shrine, they gave it a shake in the , then finally coiled the serpent around the gate, bringing the ritual to a close.
Ushio’s traditional shinji, in which a straw serpent made its way to the guardian shrine
What to expect
The day before, ujiko gathered at the home of the family on duty, made a giant snake from rice straw, and attached a sword to its tail. They displayed it in the tatami room overnight and waited for the next day.
On the day, a dozen or so young men carried out the giant snake. At the head of the procession were children dressed as the fierce form of Susanoo-no-Mikoto and the female form of Inada-hime, followed by the musicians, as they made their way to the shrine.
Along the way, they shook the giant snake, gave it a final shake in the keidai, then coiled it around the torii gate.
How to take part
必要人数：十数名の若者が大蛇を担い手として参加
Location and access
- Venue and address
Shirahata Jinja and Ushio Jinja (Ushio, Tako Town)
Address Ushio, Tako Town
Dates and season
- Season
Held every November
- Frequency
Every 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 Chiba Prefecture / Tako Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Origins and History of Ushio Snake Festival
The Ushio Snake Festival was a shinji held at Shirahata Jinja and Ushio Jinja for about 200 years.
The day before, ujiko made a giant snake from rice straw, then carried it to the shrine the following day. This tradition has been passed down across generations in the Ushio district.
The festival’s history came to an end after its final staging on Reiwa 6 November 10.
Official information
Takomachi website, “Ushio Snake Festival”
Ushio Snake Festival at a Glance
The Ushio Snake Festival was a shinji with a history of about 200 years, held at Shirahata Jinja and Ushio Jinja in Ushio, Tako Town.
Ujiko made a giant snake about 8 m long from rice straw, carried it to the shrine with children and hayashi musicians, and coiled it around the torii gate.
The festival prayed for a bountiful harvest, but its history came to an end with the staging on Reiwa 6 November 10.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/24
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