Yura’s autumn festival, alive with float contests and lion dances
Yura Festival
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Usa Hachiman Shrine and
- Area
- Wakayama Prefecture・Yura Town(From Tokyo: approx. 3 h 30 min–4 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
- Last updated
- 2026/10/19
An autumn annual festival at Usa Hachiman Shrine in Yura Town, featuring offerings of , floats, and banner twirling from each district. A procession also travels from the shrine to the Otabisho, offering a chance to see local performing arts and festival events all in one place.
About Yura Festival
The Yura Festival is an autumn annual festival held at Usa Hachiman Shrine in Yura Town, Hidaka District, Wakayama Prefecture.
Six districts in the former Yura Town area and others offer yakata floats and shishimai lion dances, and a procession travels from the shrine to the Otabisho.
Featuring lion dances accompanied by flutes and drums, float contests, and banner twirling, it is a festival passed down by local parishioners.
The lion dances of Yokohama and Ato are designated Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Wakayama Prefecture.
Source: 由良祭 - Wikipedia / 宇佐八幡神社 例大祭 | 和歌山県文化情報アーカイブ
Festival highlights
Highlights include contests between floats from each district at the shrine and Otabisho, as well as lion dances with distinctive styles.
The floats are built using long carrying poles joined together, and some are over approximately six meters long.
In Ato's banner-twirling performance, a three-tan illustrated banner is threaded onto a green bamboo pole and swung vigorously in wide arcs.
The lion dances are performed to music played on flutes, drums, shime-daiko drums, and shamisen, and children’s lion dances are also offered.
Yura’s autumn festival, alive with float contests and lion dances
What to expect
The day before the festival, the eve-of-festival celebrations include lion dance offerings and float contests. The offering locations vary by district and include places such as shrines and beaches.
At the main festival day, the yordaiko drums make their rounds early in the morning. The floats gather and enter the shrine precincts, followed by banner twirling, contests, and lion dances.
In the afternoon, a procession of the , an archery performance, and floats from each district travels to the Otabisho. After the offerings, the mikoshi returns to the shrine.
Finally, a farewell contest takes place along Babasuji Street.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Usa Hachiman Shrine (169 Sato, Yura Town) and Otabisho (1002 Ato, Yura Town).
Festival events also take place in the Sato and Ato areas of Yura Town.
- Train and bus
The nearest station is 1.4 km from Usa Hachiman Shrine, a 15-minute walk.
- By car
About 20 minutes from Hirokawa IC on the Hanwa Expressway / Yuasa-Gobo Road.
Source: 由良祭本祭 | 紀中を巡るHidaka History
Address Usa Hachiman Shrine: 169 Sato, Yura Town, Hidaka District, Wakayama Prefecture / Otabisho: 1002 Ato, Yura Town, Hidaka District, Wakayama Prefecture
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Nearby attractions
白崎海洋公園
和歌山県日高郡由良町にある道の駅を併設する公園
Origins and History of Yura Festival
It is said that the ritual held at its current location began around Einin 4 (1296), during the Kamakura period.
The lion dance is said to have originated in the Genroku era of the early Edo period, and the Ato district’s yakata was also built in Genroku 4.
The rituals and festivities changed following the shrine mergers during the Meiji period, and the Otabisho was later moved.
It used to be held on October 17, but it is now listed as the 3rd Saturday and Sunday of October, or the 3rd Sunday.
Official information
Wakayama Prefecture Cultural Information Archive: “Usa Hachiman Shrine Annual Festival”
Yura Festival at a Glance
The Yura Festival is an autumn annual festival centered on Usa Hachiman Shrine, where districts across Yura Town offer lion dances, floats, and banner twirling.
The main highlights are float contests, two-person lion dances, Sato’s archery performance, and the mikoshi procession to the Otabisho.
Events continue from the eve-of-festival festivities the day before through the offerings and return procession on the main festival day, with each community’s roles and performing arts passed down through generations.
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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