What kind of festival is the Hachinohe Sansha Festival?

The Hachinohe Sansha Festival is said to have originated in the Edo period, when a portable shrine was carried from what is now Ogami Shrine to Chojayama Silla Shrine. Later, folk performing arts such as "yatai" (floats) carrying dolls and "toramai" (tiger dances) were added to the procession, and the festival developed into one to pray for the safety of the town and a good harvest. In the Meiji period, Chojayama Silla Shrine and Shinmei Shrine joined, making it a joint festival of the three shrines, and new floats are paraded every year.
In recognition of this history, the Hachinohe Sansha Festival has been registered as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan and a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

●2025 "Hachinohe Sansha Festival" event schedule

Various local performing arts that add colour to the procession

A distinctive feature of the Hachinohe Sansha Festival is the display of various local performing arts. For example, the "Tiger Dance" has been passed down as a faith for protection from fire and safe voyages. The tigers roll on the ground all at once and stand up on shoulders, delighting the audience with their acrobatic movements. The lion dance performed by the black-clad performers is a traditional performing art called "Horyou Kagura," and a highlight is the "simultaneous tooth-clap" in which the dancers strike the lion's head in unison.
Many other local performing arts will also be on display, such as the "Sasa no Ha Dance," in which dancers hold bamboo leaves, and the "Koma Odori," in which dancers wear model horses.

Pay attention to the impressive and gorgeous floats

The 27 gigantic floats are what really liven up the festival. Every year, new ones are created based on folk tales and kabuki plays, and you'll be amazed at their size and power. They also feature a variety of interesting features, such as dolls that move up and down, smoke, and water. The front and center of the floats spread out sideways to fit the width of the street they are traveling along, and the rear parts rise up, so you'll never get bored of watching them.
The construction of the floats begins every year after the Golden Week holidays in May. The many mechanisms and gorgeous decorations are a testament to the passion of the local people for the festival.

"Kibadakyu" - a sport you'll want to see during the festival

A must-see on the middle day of the festival is the Kagami-ryu Kiba-dakyu, a horse-riding ball competition held at Chojayama Silla Shrine.
Divided into two teams, red and white, the participants ride horses and use sticks called kyujo/gitcho to pick up balls from the ground, aiming to reach the kyumon gate. It is said that this sport started in the Hachinohe domain, a horse-producing region where equestrianism was popular, to encourage martial arts. It is very similar to the British sport of polo, but in fact both sports have their roots in ancient Persia, and it is said that they developed separately in the east and west from Persia.

The eve and after festivals are also packed with highlights

On the eve of the festival on July 31st and the evening after on August 4th, 27 floats are displayed in the center of Hachinohe city. All the floats are lit up and displayed with all the mechanisms open, making for a very impressive sight. Musical accompaniment is also played by various groups, and the eve of the festival is the most exciting part, as the excitement of the start of the festival is what makes it so exciting.

▼Hachinohe Sansha Festival
URL: https://visithachinohe.com/stories/sannshataisai_schedule/
Venue: Hachinohe city center
Period: (Thu) July 31st to (Mon), August 4th, 2025 *The eve of the festival is on the 31st, and the after-festival is on the 4th *The same day every year regardless of the day of the week
TEL: 0178-27-4243 (Hachinohe Tourist Information Center)