About the Kasuga Shrine Autumn Festival

The autumn festival of Kasuga Shrine, the guardian deity of Sasayama Castle Town, has a history of over 350 years and is the most well known festival of Tambasasayama. Nine Hokoyama (floats) and four Mikoshi (portable shrines) parade through the Sasayama Castle Town area, accompanied by the resounding sound of traditional flutes and drums. Influenced by the culture of Kyoto the festival combines elegance and magnificence, being designated as an intangible folk cultural property of the city in 2017.

Date and time for 2025 festival

Saturday, October 18 Yoimiya (festival-eve vigil)
Hokoyama procession details:
・Kamimachi from 4:20pm
・Shimomachi from 5:00pm
・Shrine entry from 5:30pm

Taiko Mikoshi (portable shrines with drum performance) – Shrine Entry
・Kamimachi 7:00pm to 8:50pm
・Shimomachi 6:30pm to 8:20pm

Sunday, October 19 Honmiya (Main festival)
Hokoyama Procession details:
・Starting from Kagamiyama Hokoyama at 9:50am
・Hokoyama shrine entry from 11:50am
・Mikoshi procession from 1:15pm

Taiko Mikoshi:
・Kamimachi 6:30pm to 8:20pm
・Shimomachi 7:00pm to 8:50pm

‘Note: Vehicles are prohibited between Uoyamachi and Sonpo-ji (141 Tatsumachi) on October 18th (Sat) 5:00pm – 9:30pm / October 19th (Sun) 10:00am – 9:30pm

Hokodate Procession in Kawaramachi–the Preservation District for Groups of Historical Buildings

The Kasuga Shrine Festival has a history of over 350 years. In the earlier times, a Hoko spear used to be mounted on the roof of each float. However, about 110 years ago, with the advent of electricity, power lines were strung along the roads. Because the Hoko spears were higher than the power lines, the procession practice of using the Hoko came to an end. With the loss of the spear, a symbol of the Hokoyama (floats), the disappointment among the local people must have been quite significant. In 2021, power poles and cables were removed from the 600-meter-long Kawaramachi street, that is part of the route of the Hokoyama procession. As a result, the two Hokoyama floats, ‘Houo-yama’ and ‘Mikasa-yama’ of Kawaramachi, were restored and their Hoko spears were re-installed, allowing the procession to take place in Kawaramachi.

Procession schedule:
・Saturday, October 18 (3:00-4:00pm): Mikasa-yama and Houo-yama
・Sunday, October 19 (9:00-10:00am): Houo-yama (with Hoko mounted)

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