Warai Festival

Festival highlights

The main highlight is the bell-ringer, whose white-painted face bears the red character for “laugh” on each cheek.

Ringing bells and calling, “Laugh, laugh!” and “Eiraku ja, yo wa raku ja” (“There is eternal joy; the world is joyful”), the participants proceed through town, leading the mikoshi and festival floats.

Even after reaching Niu Shrine, a wide range of sacred performances continues, including yotsudaiko drumming, lion dances, banner-raising, the Yakko Dance, and the Sparrow Dance.

A traditional festival in Hidakagawa Town, where laughter and the sound of bells wind through the village

What to expect

The events begin around 9 a.m. near the Otabisho with “Oni no Deai” (“Meeting of the Demons”), followed by a lion dance. Around 11 a.m., the bell-ringer appears.

The bell-ringer leads the mikoshi in a lively procession to Niu Shrine.

In the afternoon, the shrine welcomes the mikoshi, followed by offerings of yotsudaiko drumming, raising the banner, the Yakko Dance, the Sparrow Dance, lion dances, and more.

How to take part

Visitors can watch the event.

参加費：無料

Location and access

Venue and address

Niu Shrine.

The location is in Egawa, Hidakagawa Town, Hidaka District.

By car

It is about 10 minutes from Gobō IC on the Yuasa-Gobō Road of the Hanwa Expressway.

Source: 笑い祭（丹生祭） | 紀中を巡るHidaka History

Address Egawa, Hidakagawa Town, Hidaka District

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Dates and season

2026 Event Information (the listed dates have passed)

The event was announced as scheduled for October 11 (Sunday) in 2026.

Events begin around 9 a.m., and at Niu Shrine, offerings including the mikoshi’s arrival at the shrine, yotsudaiko drumming, banner-raising, dances, and lion dances are scheduled from around 12:50 p.m. to around 5 p.m.

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Nearby attractions

Nearby attractions listed for the festival include Kawabe Astronomy Park, Dojoji Temple, Tsubayama Dam, Roadside Station SanPin Nakatsu, and Narutaki.

You can combine a visit with sightseeing in Hidakagawa Town or the Hidaka area.

Check the opening status and conditions of use with each facility before your visit.

Origins and History of Warai Festival

The festival’s origin is said to date back to when the goddess Niutsuhime no Mikoto, on her way to the gods’ meeting in Izumo held during Kannazuki, overslept and became despondent. The villagers comforted her, saying, “Laugh, laugh!”

Today’s festival is a grand festival that brings together the festivals of four areas—Wasa, Egawa, Yamano, and Matsuse—which were once held separately.

It is said to be a traditional event dating back to the Edo period, and it has also been designated an Intangible Folk Cultural Property of the prefecture.

Source: 和歌山の奇祭！丹生神社の「笑い祭」とは？ – 【公式】PR WAKAYAMA

Official information

The Niu Shrine guide from the Hidakagawa Town Tourism Association is listed as official information.

For inquiries, contact the Hidakagawa Town Tourism Association at 0738-22-2041.

Warai Festival at a Glance

The Warai Festival is an annual festival held at Niu Shrine in Hidakagawa Town, where visitors can enjoy the distinctive chants and procession of the bell-ringer, as well as sacred performances such as yotsudaiko drumming and lion dances.

In 2026, it will be held on October 11, with events moving from the area around the Otabisho in the morning to the shrine grounds in the afternoon.

The festival has a history that links a custom of laughter rooted in mythology with the festivals of four districts.