Hitachi Country Sosha Shrine Grand Festival (Ishioka Festival) 2026

About this event

The Hitachi no Kuni Sosha-gu Grand Festival, commonly known as "Ishioka Festival," is a traditional festival held in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, over three days starting on September 15 every year and ending on Respect for the Aged Day, and is known as one of the three major festivals of the Kanto region. In 2026, it is scheduled to be held from Saturday, September 19 to Monday (National Holiday), September 21, with Moriki-cho serving as the presiding town. The center of the festival is the grounds of Hitachi no Kuni Sosha-gu Shrine and the city center, where celebratory sumo matches, shrine maiden dances, twelve-scene kagura, and parades of lion-mask floats (horo-jishi) and festival floats (dashi) are held on a grand scale. The festival boasts more than 300 years of history and is an event to pray for bountiful harvests, good health, and traffic safety, gathering many participants and spectators as an important cultural event in the region. Although the detailed schedule for 2026 (Reiwa 8) will be finalized in the future, traditional Shinto rituals and lively city parades will be held as usual.

Venue

Hitachi no Kuni Sosha-gu Shrine

2-8-1 Sosha, Ishioka, Ibaraki 315-0016