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🏮 Donto Matsuri

どんと祭

Sendai, Miyagi (Toda District and Other Locations) · Every year on 14 January

122 days to go
Rooms around Sendai, Miyagi fill up while the festival is on.

In Aoba Ward, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, the Donto Festival is held every year on January 14 at Sendai Toshogu Shrine. It is a traditional event organized by the shrine, known as a ritual in which old talismans, amulets, New Year decorations, and similar items are burned. On the day, the area around the shrine grounds becomes very crowded, so visiting by public transportation is recommended. The main events of the festival center on the fire-lighting ceremony from 4:00 p.m. and the extinguishing of the fire at 9:30 p.m. Items for burning must be brought in by 9:00 p.m., but to ease congestion, advance drop-off is accepted regardless of whether it is December or January. In addition, from January 7 to 14, a special reception is set up to accept old dolls and stuffed animals, which are purified with a blessing before being disposed of. On the day, prayers, the granting of amulets, and the distribution of New Year-limited goshuin are also performed.

Getting there

Please visit by public transportation. The shrine grounds parking lot can be used until 2:00 p.m. on the 14th (unusable after that), and from 16:30 onward, the Komatsushima Elementary School temporary parking lot (5 minutes on foot) and the Kita Rokubancho Elementary School temporary parking lot (7 minutes on foot) are available.