Hachinohe Sansha Taisai Festival (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage)(Hachinohe Sansha Taisai Festival Steering Committee)
Tohoku's famous float festival celebrates its 300th anniversary
For more information, please visit the VISIT Hachinohe website.The Hachinohe Sansha Taisai 2025 | Visit Hachinohe ｜The Offical Guide to Hachinohe, Japan
Centered around the mikoshi (sacred religious palanquin) of the three shrines (Ogami Shrine, Shinra Shrine, and Shinmei-gu Shrine), the festival features a procession of daikagura (traditional Japanese performing arts), musha-oshi (march of samurai), hatashi-mono (battle flag), children’s parade (in traditional clothing), lion dances, and tiger dances, all of which create a unique atmosphere as they parade through the city center, adding color to the midsummer of Hachinohe. The total length of the procession is about three kilometers. The floats featured from each town are based on myths, legends, and history, and are about 11 meters high and 8 meters wide when blown up. In addition to the vigorous beating of the drums and the continuous playing of the flutes, the float-pullers cheerfully chant while moving the floats.During the five days between July 31 and August 4, more than 1 million people come to Hachinohe, adding to the exciting atmosphere. The festival began in 1721 and has undergone various changes in its schedule and processions, celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2020.
2004: Designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property 2016: Registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage under "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan"
*Information as of June 18, 2025.
A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Festivals
Centered around the mikoshi (sacred religious palanquin) of the three shrines (Ogami Shrine, Shinra Shrine, and Shinmei-gu Shrine), the festival features a procession of daikagura (traditional Japanese performing arts), musha-oshi (march of samurai), hatashi-mono (battle flag), children’s parade (in traditional clothing), lion dances, and tiger dances, all of which create a unique atmosphere as they parade through the city center, adding color to the midsummer of Hachinohe. The total length of the procession is about three kilometers. The floats featured from each town are based on myths, legends, and history, and are about 11 meters high and 8 meters wide when blown up. In addition to the vigorous beating of the drums and the continuous playing of the flutes, the float-pullers cheerfully chant while moving the floats.During the five days between July 31 and August 4, more than 1 million people come to Hachinohe, adding to the exciting atmosphere. The festival began in 1721 and has undergone various changes in its schedule and processions, celebrating its 300th anniversary in 2020.
2004: Designated as a National Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property 2016: Registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage under "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan"
*Information as of June 18, 2025.
A thematic journey in the Tohoku region:Festivals
- Address
- 青森県八戸市中心街
- Telephone Number
- 0178-70-1110（VISIT Hachinohe）
- Opening Times
- 8:30～17:15
- Prices
- Free of charge (*Paid admission seats are available for sale)
- Duration
- Notes