Yogawa Hakusan Shrine Festival (Autumn)

About this event

The 'Yogawa Hakusan Shrine Festival (Autumn)' held in Nagiso Town is a traditional festival where an elegant demon-banishing dance by a female lion is dedicated, said to have been introduced by a person from Kaga Hakusan during the Kansei era about 190 years ago. The lion head used in the dance is a giant head over 2 shaku (approx. 60 cm) made entirely of Japanese cypress, and its powerful presence is one of the highlights. After the dance, a rice cake scatter (mochimaki), a customary event in this region, is held to bring the festival to a lively close. During the festival, the local sake 'Somazake' is served as sacred sake (omiki), offering visitors a taste of regional flavors as well. For 2026, it is scheduled to be held on Sunday, October 18, with the religious ritual, lion dance, and rice cake scatter taking place sequentially starting at 1:00 PM.

Venue

Yogawa Hakusan Shrine

741 Yomikaki, Nagiso, Kiso District, Nagano 399-5301