Yatsushiro Myoken Festival

Festival highlights

The highlight is the mikoshi procession, featuring around 40 attractions, led by a mikoshi and sacred horse, including lions, kasaboko floats, kida, and decorated horses.

At Tonozaki Riverbank in particular, performances and horse-chasing displays take place alongside the procession, making it one of the festival’s main highlights.

During the Yoiyo on the eve of the festival, visitors also have a chance to see kasaboko floats and kida up close at Honmachi Arcade.

Please note that the mikoshi procession and related events in 2026 have been canceled.

Source: 初めて八代妙見祭をご覧になる方へ - ユネスコ無形文化遺産 八代妙見祭

A traditional Yatsushiro event featuring kida and kasaboko floats proceeding through the city

What to expect

Usually, the Yoiyo is held throughout the Honmachi Arcade area on the day before November 22, and the mikoshi procession travels through the city on the 23rd.

The procession starts at Shioya Hachimangu Shrine and heads to Tonozaki Riverbank, passing Honmachi Arcade, Sakura Juji Hall Yatsushiro, the area in front of Yatsushiro Station, Yatsushiro Shrine, and other locations.

After the lunch break, performances and horse-chasing displays take place at Tonozaki Riverbank, and visitors can see different attractions at each location.

The festival will not take place in this format in 2026.

Location and access

Venue and address

The festival takes place along the route of the sacred procession, including Honmachi Arcade in Honmachi, Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, as well as Yatsushiro Jinja, the area in front of Yatsushiro Station, and Tonosaki Riverbank.

The festival has been canceled in 2026.

Train and bus

There are no parking facilities near Shioya Hachimangu or in the area around Yatsushiro Station, and during years when the festival is held as usual, visitors are advised to use public transportation.

By car

During years when the festival is held as usual, traffic restrictions around Yatsushiro Jinja and Tonosaki Riverbank prohibit vehicles from passing through or entering on November 23.

Visitors are advised to use the temporary parking areas and shuttle buses.

Parking

There are no parking facilities near Shioya Hachimangu or in the area around Yatsushiro Station.

The Harmony Hall parking lot is reported to have limited capacity.

Address Honmachi, Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture

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Dates and season

Cancelled

2026/11/22〜2026/11/23

Season

Every year on November 22 and the 23rd

Frequency

Once a year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Tips for your visit

During years when the festival is held as usual, the mikoshi procession may pass each location earlier or later than scheduled, so allow plenty of time to wait at each spot.

Guidance has been issued for the viewing stands at Tonozaki Riverbank, taking crowd reduction and the prevention of falls from stairways and slopes into consideration.

Traffic restrictions apply around Yatsushiro Shrine and Tonozaki Riverbank, and vehicles may not be allowed to enter.

The festival is canceled in 2026, so visitors cannot come to watch it.

Nearby attractions

Yatsushiro Municipal Folk and Traditional Performing Arts Heritage Center (Omatsuri Denden-kan) is introduced as a facility associated with the festival.

As a place connected to the history and culture of the Yatsushiro area, like the Yatsushiro Myoken Festival, it is one of the nearby options for learning about the festival and local traditional performing arts.

The tourism portal also lists the Kappa Legend and Kuma-nan Station as tourist attractions in the Yatsushiro area.

Temples and shrinesYatsushiro City

八代宮

熊本県八代市にある神社

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写真：Simasakon / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Museums and art museumsYatsushiro City

八代市立博物館・未来の森ミュージアム

熊本県八代市にある博物館

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写真：Wiiii / CC BY-SA 3.0

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Parks and gardensYatsushiro City

松浜軒

熊本県八代市にある、熊本藩家老松井家の邸宅と庭園

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写真：STA3816 / 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 Yatsushiro Myoken Festival

The Yatsushiro Myoken Festival is an autumn grand festival at Yatsushiro Shrine that has continued since the Edo period.

The festival has been passed down in the community, centered on a mikoshi procession through the city featuring a mikoshi, sacred horse, lions, kasaboko floats, and kida.

It is designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.

In consideration of the damage caused by the Kumamoto earthquake and safety concerns, the mikoshi procession and related events have been canceled in 2026.

Official information

The official website for the Yatsushiro Myoken Festival, “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Yatsushiro Myoken Festival,” is run by the Yatsushiro Myoken Festival Preservation and Promotion Association.

The site provides announcements about the 2026 cancellation and viewing and traffic information for years when the festival is held as usual.

It can be used to check the latest information about the festival’s status and related events.

Visit the official website

Yatsushiro Myoken Festival at a Glance

The Yatsushiro Myoken Festival is an autumn grand festival at Yatsushiro Shrine that has continued since the Edo period. It is known for its mikoshi procession featuring a mikoshi, sacred horse, lions, kasaboko floats, and kida.

Usually, the Yoiyo is held on November 22 and the mikoshi procession takes place on the 23rd, with performances and horse-chasing displays at Tonozaki Riverbank.

In 2026, it was canceled in consideration of the damage caused by the Kumamoto earthquake and safety concerns.