2026 Kasonuma Inari Shrine Annual Grand Festival

About this event

The 2026 Kasonuma Inari Shrine Annual Grand Festival will be held at Kasonuma Inari Shrine located in Namegata City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Also known by the alias 'Sekitori Inari', this shrine has a fine permanent sumo ring (dohyo) on its grounds, and dedicated sumo wrestling is held during the festival every August to pray for a bountiful harvest. It is a traditional event where participants wear mawashi loincloths just like sumo wrestlers to wrestle. In addition, shrine maiden dances (miko-mai) by elementary school girls are dedicated, performing traditional dances set to the melodies of gagaku court music. The ritual includes purification rites and ceremonies, and the performance of miko-mai is also scheduled. Dedicated sumo is divided into morning and afternoon sessions, featuring preliminary and final matches. Performances of sumo jinku chants and a live performance by singer-songwriter AIRI, who is from Namegata City, are also scheduled, making for a lively day. Fireworks are also scheduled to be launched, enlivening the festival even further.

Venue

Kasonuma Inari Shrine

1574 Uchijuku, Namegata, Ibaraki 311-1705