A summer festival of lanterns, taiko, and fireworks that light up Yonago and its night sky
Yonago Gaina Festival
The 2026 edition of Yonago Gaina Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 2026/08/07 〜 2026/08/09Ended
- Season / frequency
- Late July or early August / Every year
- Location
- Yonago Ekimae-dori, Yonago Ekimae Dandan Plaza, the multipurpose plaza at Yonago City Culture Hall, Hon-dori Shopping Street, Yonago El Mall Shopping Street, Minatoyama Park, Yonago Convention Center, Yonago Port, and other locations
- Area
- Tottori Prefecture・Yonago City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 15 min–1 h 30 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Participation / viewing
- Spectators welcome
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A summer festival featuring Gaina Manto lanterns, drumming, parades, and fireworks across central Yonago.
About Yonago Gaina Festival
The Yonago Gaina Festival is a summer festival held in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture.
“Gaina” means “big” in the local Yonago dialect, and the festival’s name reflects the language of the region.
Events featuring lanterns, taiko drumming, parades, and fireworks take place at several locations around Yonago City, including the station area, shopping streets, port, and parks.
Linking the city center with waterfront venues, the festival brings color to summer in Yonago.
Source: 米子がいな祭 - Wikipedia / とっとり旅 【公式】鳥取県観光旅行情報サイト
Festival highlights
Highlights include the Gaina Manto lantern performance beneath the night sky, powerful Gaina Taiko drumming, and a parade through the city.
Fireworks are also launched from Yonago Port on the evening of the second day, and can be watched from places such as Minatoyama Park.
Several stages, including the station-front stage and Gaina Stage, are set up, bringing together traditional performances and the lively atmosphere of the city center.
In 2026, a market and ayu-catching event were also announced.
Source: 2026年 | 第53回米子がいな祭は2026年8月7・8・9日開催
A summer festival of lanterns, taiko, and fireworks that light up Yonago and its night sky
What to expect
The festival centers on stages along the station-front street and shopping streets. On the first day, venues include Hon-dori Shopping Street and Yonago El Mall Shopping Street; on the second day, they extend to places such as Minatoyama Park and Yonago Convention Center.
Visitors can watch Gaina Manto lanterns, Gaina Taiko, Yanchā , parades, and other events at each venue, leading up to fireworks at Yonago Port on the evening of the second day.
In 2026, an ayu-catching event was held on the station-front street, and a market was held on each festival day.
How to take part
Visitors can watch the performances and fireworks at each venue.
On the organizing side, there is a way for volunteers to help shape the festival not only by assisting with operations on the day, but also through planning and preparation.
Volunteer recruitment for 2026 closed on July 24, but information is available for people interested in the executive committee’s activities and future festival operations.
Recruitment for 2026 festival operations volunteers closed on July 24.
Volunteers helped shape the festival not only by assisting with operations on the day, but also through planning and preparation.
来場者としての観覧は各会場で案内されます。
Source: ボランティア募集へのご応募ありがとうございました | 第53回米子がいな祭は2026年8月7・8・9日開催
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yonago Ekimae-dori, Yonago Ekimae Dandan Plaza, the multipurpose plaza at Yonago City Culture Hall, Hon-dori Shopping Street, Yonago El Mall Shopping Street, Minatoyama Park, Yonago Convention Center, Yonago Port, and other locations.
The fireworks display is held at Yonago Port.
- By car
During the festival, roads are closed to vehicles around the station-front street, city hall, Yonago Port, and Minatoyama Park.
Event venue 鳥取県米子市 米子駅前通り
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)
The 53rd Yonago Gaina Festival was held from August 7 through the 9th.
The official information lists events for each day, with the 7th falling on a Friday, the 8th on a Saturday, and the 9th on a Sunday.
The market was held on the 7th, 8th, and 9th, and the ayu-catching event took place on the 8th on Yonago Ekimae-dori.
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 Tottori Prefecture / Yonago City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
Since the venues are spread across several locations, including the station-front street, shopping streets, parks, and port, it’s a good idea to allow time to travel between them based on the performances you want to see.
During the festival, roads are closed to vehicles around the station-front street and city hall, and, on the fireworks day, around Yonago Port and Minatoyama Park.
Safety notices are also posted for the fireworks venue, so follow instructions at the site and avoid roads subject to traffic restrictions.
Nearby attractions
上淀白鳳の丘展示館
鳥取県米子市にある上淀廃寺跡のガイダンス施設
写真：KASEI at Japanese Wikipedia / CC BY 3.0
Photo source ·
山陰歴史館
鳥取県の博物館・美術館のスポットです。
米子市美術館
鳥取県米子市の美術館
米子水鳥公園
鳥取県米子市にある公園
大神山神社
鳥取県にある神社
Origins and History of Yonago Gaina Festival
The Yonago Gaina Festival is a summer festival in Yonago City that has been held at least 53 times.
Gaina Manto lanterns are said to have been introduced as a commemorative tradition after members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces’ Yonago Garrison trained at the Akita Garrison.
Afterward, following a warning from the Akita Kanto Festival Executive Committee in Akita City, the music and lanterns were changed, and the event came to be held under certain conditions.
The dates are discussed each year to avoid coinciding with nearby festivals.
Official information
The official information for the 2026 Yonago Gaina Festival is available on the festival’s official website.
Information is posted about the 53rd festival’s dates and programs, traffic restrictions, the market, ayu-catching event, and fireworks venue.
The official website also announced that broadcasts would be available through Chukai Television Broadcasting and YouTube Live.
Yonago Gaina Festival at a Glance
The Yonago Gaina Festival is a summer festival where visitors can enjoy Gaina Manto lanterns, taiko drumming, parades, and fireworks at venues around Yonago City, including the station area, shopping streets, port, and parks.
In 2026, the festival was held from August 7 through the 9th, and included a market and an ayu-catching event.
If you’re traveling by car, take note of traffic restrictions around the various venues and check in advance where the events you want to see will be held.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19
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