🏮 Ondo Sai

御頭祭

Suwa, Nagano (Suwa Grand Shrine Kamisha) · Every year on 15 April

Mikoshi

213 days to go
Rooms around Suwa, Nagano fill up while the festival is on.

The Ontosai (Ontosai Festival) is held every year on April 15 at the Kamisha of Suwa Taisha in Suwa, Nagano Prefecture. It is a major festival conducted after the shrine's regular grand festival. After the ceremony at the Honmiya, a procession forms and the mikoshi (portable shrine) is placed in the Jukkenro of the Maemiya, where special sacred offerings are presented. This festival was formerly called the Tori no Matsuri and was once held on the day of the bird in the third month. It was held to pray for abundant crops, and traditionally took place as the deity's messenger toured throughout Shinano Province; it is also known as the Otachibusa Shinji. What to see is the solemn flow of Shinto rituals following the regular grand festival at the Honmiya. The procession carrying the mikoshi to the Maemiya and the presentation of sacred offerings at the Jukkenro allow visitors to see the entirety of an ancient form of worship as it continues today.

Getting there

About 20 minutes by Alpico Kotsu bus from JR Kamisuwa Station, get off at Kamisha bus stop, then 5 minutes on foot. About 5 minutes by car from Suwa IC on the Chuo Expressway.