An Iinan Town festival with a rite venerating rice and a sacred procession with flower hats and drums
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Yurai Hachimangu Shrine
- Area
- Shimane Prefecture・Iinan Town(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 20 min–1 h 40 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.
- Highlights and activities
- Last updated
- 2026/10/25
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine are a religious observance in Iinan Town that enshrines rice itself as a deity. Traditions passed down include a sacred procession with flower hats and barrel drums, and the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice.
About The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine are a religious observance passed down in Iinan Town, Shimane Prefecture.
Designated a Shimane Prefecture folk cultural property, it enshrines rice itself as a deity.
The event takes shape through a sacred procession featuring , flower hats, and barrel drums, as well as the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice.
Festival highlights
The highlight is the sacred procession, with people wearing yukata and flower hats as they move along to the sound of barrel drums.
The tradition also includes the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice—not just the procession.
The fact that this is a rite in which rice is enshrined as a deity is reflected in both the drum procession and the movements performed with the rice sheaves.
An Iinan Town festival with a rite venerating rice and a sacred procession with flower hats and drums
What to expect
During the event, people wearing yukata and flower hats take part in a sacred procession accompanied by a line of barrel drummers.
In addition, the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice, is passed down.
A distinctive feature is that this rite, which enshrines rice itself as a deity, consists of both a procession and a dance.
Location and access
- Venue and address
Yurai Hachimangu Shrine / 1636 Tonbara, Iinan Town, Iishi District, Shimane Prefecture
Address 1636 Tonbara, Iinan Town, Iishi District, Shimane Prefecture
Accommodation and hotels PR
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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 Shimane Prefecture / Iinan Town (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
三瓶山
島根県の山
Origins and History of The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine are introduced as a Shimane Prefecture-designated folk cultural property.
The traditions passed down include a rite that enshrines rice itself as a deity, a sacred procession accompanied by a line of barrel drummers, and the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice.
Official information
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine are listed on the Shimane Film Commission Network, run by the Shimane Tourism Federation.
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine at a Glance
The Tōya Festival rites at Yurai Hachimangu Shrine are a Shimane Prefecture-designated folk cultural property passed down in Iinan Town.
The event’s distinctive features include enshrining rice itself as a deity, a sacred procession with barrel drums and people wearing yukata and flower hats, and the Hime no Meshi ritual, in which people dance while carrying sheaves of rice.
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/25
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