🏮 Chichibu Kawase Matsuri

秩父川瀬祭

Chichibu, Saitama (Chichibu Shrine) · Every year on 19 and 20 July

Summer festivalMikoshiFood stallsFloats

308 days to go
Rooms around Chichibu, Saitama fill up while the festival is on.

The Chichibu Kawase Festival is held every year on July 19 and 20 in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, as the annual festival of Himisaki-no-miya within the grounds of Chichibu Shrine. Its predecessor is the Gion Festival that spread across various regions in the Heian period, and it has a history of being first recorded as the "Kawase Festival" in a document from 1659 (Manji 2). In 2021, the Kawase and yatai events were designated as an intangible folk cultural property of Saitama Prefecture. The highlight of the festival is the procession through the city of eight floats in total: four yatai and four kasaboko. It is called a "festival where children are the stars," and elementary school students ride at the very front of the floats. On the evening of the 19th, the Tenno Pillar Erection Ritual, in which a pillar about 6 meters tall is erected, is held at Chichibu Shrine, and at night the Chichibu Kawase Festival fireworks display takes place. Then, late at night, the Water Drawing Ritual is held, in which water is drawn from the Arakawa River to purify the town. On the 20th, following the divine procession, the "mikoshi washing" is held on the riverbed at Takenohana Bridge on the Arakawa River, where about 40 people carry a mikoshi (portable shrine) and proceed through the clear stream. Another highlight is the brave scene of the Higashimachi yatai climbing Dango Slope.

Getting there

About 10 to 15 minutes on foot from Chichibu Railway Ohanabatake Station or Seibu-Chichibu Station. Or about 15 minutes on foot from Chichibu Railway Chichibu Station. By car, use the temporary parking lot at Chichibu City Miyaji Ground (Municipal First Elementary School).