Iga’s Gion Festival, with dances to release vows and the sound of drums
The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival
The 2026 edition of The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival has ended.
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Dates
- 第1期：2026/07/31Ended第2期：2026/08/01Ended
- Season / frequency
- Every year on July 31 and August 1 / Every year
- Location
- Yōfuta Shrine
- Area
- Mie Prefecture・Iga City(From Tokyo: approx. 2 h 30 min–3 h · bullet train + connecting 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.
- Features
- Highlights and activities
- Wishes behind the festival
- Required number of participants
- Gan no Yama is pulled around by about 30 people.
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
A festival of dances to release vows and a float procession, passed down at Yōfuta Shrine in Iga City.
About The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival
The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival is a summer ritual held at Yōfuta Shrine in Baba, Iga City.
The event releases vows made for recovery from illness and household safety, and features 2 types of Gan no Yama dance: the small dance and the large dance.
It is designated as an intangible folk cultural property by the prefecture, and dedication fireworks are also held on the eve of the festival.
It is a signature event of the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival, where local prayers meet traditional performing arts.
Festival highlights
A highlight is the dance performed as Gan no Yama, a float, is pulled around the in dedication.
Gan no Yama carries 3 large drums and 6 hata banners, and is pulled by about 30 people.
Distinctive features include “Shichihen-gaeshi,” in which a group performing the small dance circles the large-dance group 7 times counterclockwise, and “Hanaage,” in which participants compete to grab artificial flowers and fans from flower umbrellas.
The distinctive progression, accompanied by festival chants, also reflects features of hyōshimono from the late medieval period.
Source: 陽夫多神社祗園祭の願之山行事 - 三重のお祭りアーカイブ みえお祭り特集 WEBサイト
Iga’s Gion Festival, with dances to release vows and the sound of drums
What to expect
The event features the small dance, in which young children beat small drums with help from their parents, and the large dance, in which young men beat large drums and provide musical accompaniment for Gan no Yama.
Gan no Yama is paraded in 3 stages, with the first called “Gorei.”
At the end, Gan no Yama is pulled up in front of the , and the event concludes with Shichihen-gaeshi, in which the small-dance group circles the large-dance group 7 times.
The 2026 event is listed as featuring only the small dance.
How to take part
必要人数：願之山は30人ほどで曳き回されます。
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yōfuta Shrine (951 Baba, Iga City, Mie Prefecture).
- Train and bus
Take a bus bound for “Ayama Shisho-mae” from JR Sanagu Station for about 10 minutes, get off at “Kawai,” then walk about 5 minutes.
- By car
It is about 10 minutes from Mibuno IC on the Meihan National Highway and about 30 minutes from Konan IC on the Shin-Meishin Expressway.
Address 951 Baba, Iga City
Dates and season
- Period 1
2026/07/31
- Period 2
2026/08/01
2026 event information (the listed dates have passed)
For 2026, the schedule listed the dedication fireworks on the eve of the festival for July 31 (Friday) and the Gan no Yama event for August 1 (Saturday).
The fireworks were scheduled to begin at 20:00 on July 31, and the Gan no Yama event at 14:00 on August 1.
The 2026 Gan no Yama event was listed as featuring only the small dance; the fireworks are to go ahead in light rain and be canceled in case of rain.
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 Mie Prefecture / Iga City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Tips for your visit
The 2026 information stated that the dedication fireworks on the eve of the festival would go ahead in light rain and be canceled in case of rain.
The Gan no Yama event was scheduled for 14:00, and that year only the small dance was to be held.
As the fireworks and the event have different dates and start times, it’s a good idea to check the time for the specific event you plan to attend.
Nearby attractions
Places near Yōfuta Shrine include the ruins of Kashiwano Castle, the roadside station “Ayama,” Iga no Sato Mokumoku Tezukuri Farm, and Iga-yaki pottery maker Nagatanien.
Along with Yōfuta Shrine itself, places near the venue are highlighted where visitors can learn about local history and industry.
If you plan to stop by while attending the festival, check each facility’s opening days and conditions of use in advance.
上野城
三重県伊賀市に存在した城
写真：The original uploader was T@ka at Japanese Wikipedia . / CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo source ·
伊賀流忍者博物館
三重県伊賀市にある忍者の博物館
敢國神社
三重県伊賀市一之宮にある神社
芭蕉翁記念館
三重県伊賀市の上野公園にある記念館
Origins and History of The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival
The Gan no Yama event is held every year as part of the Gion Festival at Yōfuta Shrine in Baba, Iga City. It is designated and selected by Mie Prefecture.
The Iga Ueno Tourism Association describes it as a ritual that began in the Azuchi-Momoyama period to release vows made for good health and household safety.
In Hanaage, evil spirits are drawn to flower umbrellas, calmed, and sent away in the hope of avoiding calamity.
The festival’s musical accompaniment and dances retain features of hyōshimono, a form that spread in the late medieval period.
Source: 陽夫多神社 祇園祭 – 伊賀上野観光協会
Official information
The official Iga Ueno Tourism Association page is listed as a source of information about the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival.
For inquiries, contact Yōfuta Shrine at 0595-43-0158.
The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival at a Glance
The Gan no Yama event at the Yōfuta Shrine Gion Festival is a traditional Iga event centered on the small and large dances to release vows, and the procession of Gan no Yama.
Highlights include distinctive movements and local prayers, such as the float carrying a large drum, Shichihen-gaeshi, and Hanaage.
It is held every year on July 31 and August 1, with dedication fireworks on the eve of the festival.
The venue is Yōfuta Shrine in Baba, Iga City.
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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