🏮 Itako Gion Matsuri

潮来祇園祭禮

Itako, Ibaraki (Soga Kumano Shrine) · Every year, 3 days from the 1st Friday to Sunday of August

MikoshiTraditional performing artsFloats

326 days to go
Rooms around Itako, Ibaraki fill up while the festival is on.

The Itako Gion Festival is held as the annual grand festival of Sugakumano Shrine in Itako City, Ibaraki Prefecture, over three days from the first Friday to Sunday of August each year. Counting 350 years since the festival's origin, it is a traditional summer festival in which 14 neighborhoods within the city participate. Its origin dates back to the Genroku era (1688–1704), when the shrine was moved to Tennyozan by order of Tokugawa Mitsukuni and yamaboko (festival floats) were dedicated. The floats used are of the Sawara style, descended from the Sawara Grand Festival, and 14 floats made entirely of keyaki wood parade through the neighborhoods. On top of the floats are large dolls of historical figures and others over 4 meters tall, and geza-ren (musicians) riding on the floats play Itako-bayashi. Of these, three floats, along with the lion dance and Itako-bayashi, are designated as prefectural cultural properties. The main Shinto rituals begin with the first day's "Ohama-oroshi," in which two mikoshi (portable shrines) from Sugasha and Kumano-sha are carried out. On the middle day, a procession through the neighborhoods takes place, and on the final day, the return procession is held. In particular, the "magari-hiki" consisting of "no-ji-mawashi" and "soroban-hiki" is known as a spectacular performance in which the waka-ren (young men's group) and the floats and geza-ren act as one.

Getting there

About 15 minutes on foot from Itako Station on the JR Kashima Line. Alternatively, about 5 minutes on foot from the "Itako" bus stop on the Kanto Railway bus.